vis·i·ble
ˈvi-zə-bəl 
1
a
: capable of being seen
stars visible to the naked eye
b
: situated in the region of the electromagnetic spectrum perceptible to human vision
visible light
—used of radiation having a wavelength between about 400 nanometers and 700 nanometers
2
a
: exposed to view
the visible horizon
b(1)
: conspicuous
has played a highly visible role in the negotiations
(2)
: well-known
a highly visible politician
3
: capable of being discovered or perceived : recognizable
no visible means of support
4
: accessible sense 2
visible resources
5
: devised to keep a particular part or item always in full view or readily seen or referred to
a visible index
visibleness
noun
plural visibles
: a visible person or thing : someone or something that can be seen or perceived
He achieved important results in both these endeavors, which, being visible, have received ample notice as the visibles of history usually do …—
Barbara W. Tuchman
Barbara W. TuchmanSynonyms
Examples of visible in a Sentence
Adjective
The ship was not visible through the fog.
The ship was barely visible.
The patient showed no visible symptoms.
There was a visible change in his mood.
They played a highly visible role in the negotiations.
Recent Examples on the WebRicardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Maxime Verret Photo: Maxime Verret That philosophy was most visible in a corridor running along the back of the room, where 21 new objects and furniture pieces were displayed next to items from the Hermès archives, artfully curated to appear in dialogue.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024
Its most visible theme — the grim fight to hold on to a thin slice of home on a planet threatened by a changing climate — speaks more forcefully now, perhaps, than when the musical was initially developed.
—Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Kansas City featured visible front-facing stars like Mahomes (State Farm and Head & Shoulders and Subway ads), Reid (Snickers and State Farm), and Kelce (Pfizer and DirecTV).
—Sean Gregory / Dallas, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
Commissioned by Stazione Centrale, the piece evokes the mountains from which the tunnel was excavated, with paper images glued onto vertical slats and distributed to form a layered composition with the station visible behind.
—James Imam, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
The broad concern over networking and visibility is an interesting finding, Stark observed, since CFOs already have a fairly visible role on earnings calls and in board meetings.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
This position is one of five Regional Managers that provides a highly visible leadership presence for 36 library locations and is responsible for developing the professional skills of personnel located in their cluster/flagship, creative problem solving, and developing partnership activities.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024
Many homes in the area are on large properties and are not visible from the street.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
There's more than the three most visible Ms in the logo.
—Ricardo Torres, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Maxime Verret Photo: Maxime Verret That philosophy was most visible in a corridor running along the back of the room, where 21 new objects and furniture pieces were displayed next to items from the Hermès archives, artfully curated to appear in dialogue.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2024
Its most visible theme — the grim fight to hold on to a thin slice of home on a planet threatened by a changing climate — speaks more forcefully now, perhaps, than when the musical was initially developed.
—Sophia Solano, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Kansas City featured visible front-facing stars like Mahomes (State Farm and Head & Shoulders and Subway ads), Reid (Snickers and State Farm), and Kelce (Pfizer and DirecTV).
—Sean Gregory / Dallas, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
Commissioned by Stazione Centrale, the piece evokes the mountains from which the tunnel was excavated, with paper images glued onto vertical slats and distributed to form a layered composition with the station visible behind.
—James Imam, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
The broad concern over networking and visibility is an interesting finding, Stark observed, since CFOs already have a fairly visible role on earnings calls and in board meetings.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
This position is one of five Regional Managers that provides a highly visible leadership presence for 36 library locations and is responsible for developing the professional skills of personnel located in their cluster/flagship, creative problem solving, and developing partnership activities.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024
Many homes in the area are on large properties and are not visible from the street.
—Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'visible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near visible
Cite this Entry
“Visible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/visible. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
visible
adjective
vis·i·ble
ˈviz-ə-bəl
1
: capable of being seen
stars visible to the naked eye
2
: easily seen or understood : obvious
no visible means of support
Medical Definition
visible
adjective
vis·i·ble
ˈviz-ə-bəl
1
: capable of being seen : perceptible to vision
particulates visible to the naked eye
2
: situated in the visible spectrum
visible light
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