Definition of perspicuousnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective perspicuous differ from other similar words?

The words clear and lucid are common synonyms of perspicuous. While all three words mean "quickly and easily understood," perspicuous applies to a style that is simple and elegant as well as clear.

a perspicuous style

When is clear a more appropriate choice than perspicuous?

While the synonyms clear and perspicuous are close in meaning, clear implies freedom from obscurity, ambiguity, or undue complexity.

clear instructions

When might lucid be a better fit than perspicuous?

In some situations, the words lucid and perspicuous are roughly equivalent. However, lucid suggests a clear logical coherence and evident order of arrangement.

a lucid explanation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of perspicuous But where Hofstadter is playfully enigmatic and brashly brainy, Chalmers’s writing is perspicuous and teacherly — an approach that keeps it from collapsing into recalcitrant obscurity. Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2022 Conditions in the state the planes left behind them were far less perspicuous. The Economist, 8 Feb. 2020 The president began his Monday by scrutinizing his national security briefing, filling its margins with perspicuous questions and observations. Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, 10 July 2017 Unspoken but perspicuous is the wish to (at worst) score points off Democrats and (at best) free up a seat on the nation’s most important appeals court for a nominee from the Federalist Society weapons locker. Garrett Epps, The Atlantic, 12 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perspicuous
Adjective
  • Henry Ford, but for housing If the goal is to bring down building costs, rethinking the basics of the construction process is an obvious place to start.
    Ben Christopher, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026
  • The imminent launch got less obvious cues throughout the show, too.
    James Manso, Footwear News, 14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The Telltale Signs of Rotary Motion The re-examination revealed unmistakable evidence that this was no simple awl meant for poking holes.
    Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Those distinctive features give the species a look that is at once gentle and unmistakable — a face that, for the wildlife community, has become a symbol of how close a species can come to vanishing entirely and still find a path back.
    Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Yet a significant portion of the crowd remains dedicated members, and their deep appreciation of– and cosmic ode to protect, this space is more than apparent.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Last Thursday, the league issued a $500,000 fine to the Utah Jazz and a $100,000 penalty to the Indiana Pacers for sitting healthy players, believing their apparent tanking actions compromised the league's competitive integrity.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The shift away from historically high-paying, white-collar jobs is already evident in the choices Gen Z is making.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
  • That should be evident for the next six weeks around the Charlotte Sports Complex, as pitchers and catchers — many of whom have already been there working out — formally report Wednesday and take the field for the first official session Thursday morning.
    Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The math was straightforward; get rid of Perardi, pay off the debt.
    Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
  • If so, keep it straightforward with east-facing for sunrise and west-facing for sunsets.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • McDonald said a clear motive was not identified, nor was a specific target.
    Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Earlier this week, after lawmakers said the names of several high-profile figures had been concealed in the documents without clear legal reasons, the department also moved to un-redact more than a dozen additional names.
    Connor Greene, Time, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • New research shows that people with obesity host a distinct oral microbiome compared to individuals at a healthy weight.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Here are 10 facts that make Presidents’ Day a distinct, and often misunderstood, national holiday.
    Tiago Ventura, Time, 14 Feb. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Perspicuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicuous. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on perspicuous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!