conspicuous

adjective

con·​spic·​u·​ous kən-ˈspi-kyə-wəs How to pronounce conspicuous (audio)
-kyü-əs
1
: obvious to the eye or mind
conspicuous changes
The bird has a conspicuous red head.
2
: attracting attention : striking
a conspicuous success
His absence was conspicuous.
3
: marked by a noticeable violation of good taste
conspicuously adverb
conspicuousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for conspicuous

noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention.

noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation.

a piano recital with no noticeable errors

remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment.

a film of remarkable intelligence and wit

prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background.

a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town

outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind.

honored for her outstanding contributions to science

conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind.

conspicuous bureaucratic waste

salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it.

the salient points of the speech

striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision.

the region's striking poverty

Examples of conspicuous in a Sentence

Conspicuous species of large organisms with small populations are vulnerable—and several fishes and marine mammals, including Steller's sea cow, have succumbed. Stephen Jay Gould, Natural History, June 1991
Its most conspicuous feature was knee breeches, which showed off his well-turned legs and feet. Richard Ellmann, Oscar Wilde, 1984
There were a number of conspicuous changes to the building. The sign was placed in a very conspicuous spot. The bird has a conspicuous red head. She felt very conspicuous in her pink coat. He was uncomfortable about his conspicuous weight gain. The business was a conspicuous success.
Recent Examples on the Web Due to the intricacies of intellectual property rights, the X-Men have been a conspicuous absence from the MCU since its inception in 2008. Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Mar. 2024 The mob wife aesthetic—characterized by gold jewelry, conspicuous designer accessories and of course, statement fur coats—has successfully rebranded fur as a symbol of power, boosting interest among young consumers. Shelcy Joseph, Essence, 19 Mar. 2024 Such conspicuous back-half omissions keep In Restless Dreams from merely being damn near the definitive Paul Simon documentary as opposed to the definitive one. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2024 Its paved parking lot looked conspicuous from the highway: an asphalt rectangular surrounded by endless sandy land. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024 But in this case, given Middleton’s conspicuous absence, the image was more loaded than usual. Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 13 Mar. 2024 One unwelcome marker of Crutchfield’s new success: there have been a couple of conspicuous lingerers around her and Morby’s old house. Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 12 Mar. 2024 Before the direct primary, people’s party affiliations were even more conspicuous, Riddlsperger said, as candidates were chosen by caucus in which people divided themselves physically into groups to cast their votes. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2024 If James prevails, he could be rendered a tourist in the city and state where his name was once a by-word for conspicuous wealth and glamor. Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conspicuous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin conspicuus, from conspicere to get sight of, from com- + specere to look — more at spy

First Known Use

circa 1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conspicuous was circa 1534

Dictionary Entries Near conspicuous

Cite this Entry

“Conspicuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conspicuous. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conspicuous

adjective
con·​spic·​u·​ous kən-ˈspik-yə-wəs How to pronounce conspicuous (audio)
1
: easily seen
2
: attracting attention : striking
conspicuously adverb
conspicuousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on conspicuous

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