evident

adjective

ev·​i·​dent ˈe-və-dənt 

-və-ˌdent

: clear to the vision or understanding

Synonyms

• apparent
• assumed
• ostensible
• ostensive
• presumed
• prima facie
• putative
• reputed
• seeming
• supposed

Choose the Right Synonym for evident

evident, manifest, patent, distinct, obvious, apparent, plain, clear mean readily perceived or apprehended.

evident implies presence of visible signs that lead one to a definite conclusion.

an evident fondness for sweets

manifest implies an external display so evident that little or no inference is required.

manifest hostility

patent applies to a cause, effect, or significant feature that is clear and unmistakable once attention has been directed to it.

patent defects

distinct implies such sharpness of outline or definition that no unusual effort to see or hear or comprehend is required.

a distinct refusal

obvious implies such ease in discovering that it often suggests conspicuousness or little need for perspicacity in the observer.

the obvious solution

apparent is very close to evident except that it may imply more conscious exercise of inference.

for no apparent reason

plain suggests lack of intricacy, complexity, or elaboration.

her feelings about him are plain

clear implies an absence of anything that confuses the mind or obscures the pattern.

a clear explanation

Examples of evident in a Sentence

She spoke with evident anguish about the death of her son.

The problems have been evident for quite some time.

Recent Examples on the Web

Most were evident when Newsom was elected governor in 2018, promising vigorous efforts to neutralize them, such as his ridiculous pledge to build 3.5 million units of housing, but most have become even more intractable during his reign. —Dan Walters, Orange County Register, 14 Nov. 2024

That much was evident Saturday when the 49ers, as expected, took running back Christian McCaffrey off the injured reserve list and placed him on the 53-man roster. —Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024

In this election, nowhere has this been more evident than in Trump's use of podcasts—an untraditional form of media—to appeal to young, especially male, voters. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

The key to this particular pattern is a fairly stable resistance level, which is evident on the chart of Visa with numerous tests of the $290 level since March 2024. —David Keller, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin evident-, evidens, from e- + vident-, videns, present participle of vidēre to see — more at wit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing evident

• self-evident

Kids Definition

evident

adjective

ev·​i·​dent ˈev-əd-ənt 

-ə-ˌdent

: clear to the sight or mind : plain

was evident that they were twins

Etymology

Middle English evident "clearly seen or understood," from early French evident (same meaning), from Latin evident-, evidens (same meaning), from e-, ex- "out, away" and vident-, videns, a form of vidēre "to see" — related to vision