conspicuous

American  

[kuhn-spik-yoo-uhs] / kənˈspɪk yu əs /

adjective

1. easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable.

   a conspicuous error.

   Synonyms:

   salient, marked, clear, noticeable, manifest

2. attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities.

   He was conspicuous by his booming laughter.

   Synonyms:

   noteworthy, striking, prominent

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conspicuous British  

/ kənˈspɪkjʊəs /

adjective

1. clearly visible; obvious or showy

2. attracting attention because of a striking quality or feature

   conspicuous stupidity

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Other Word Forms

• conspicuity noun
• conspicuously adverb
• conspicuousness noun

Etymology

Origin of conspicuous

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin conspicuus “clearly seen, visible,” equivalent to conspic(ere) “to see, catch sight of” + -uus adjective suffix; conspectus; contiguous, continuous, -ous

Example Sentences

Leavitt and other members of the Trump administration have made an conspicuous display of their Christian faith.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

It’s their money, and too many Angelenos do love conspicuous consumption.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Its opening sequence is both graceful and conspicuous; its exposition is entirely legible, yet so very charming that its plainness doesn’t matter one bit.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

"In one sense very conspicuous and in another sense invisible, so we need to get over that step so that people feel just as much part of our community as we ourselves feel."

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

Even with them making out right there and the bowling ball being so conspicuous, I still wanted to take a picture of it all.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

Related Words

• blatant
• flagrant
• glaring
• influential
• notable
• remarkable
• salient
• striking