conspicuous
Americanadjective
-
easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable.
a conspicuous error.
- Synonyms:
- salient, marked, clear, noticeable, manifest
-
attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities.
He was conspicuous by his booming laughter.
- Synonyms:
- noteworthy, striking, prominent
adjective
-
clearly visible; obvious or showy
-
attracting attention because of a striking quality or feature
conspicuous stupidity
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s their money, and too many Angelenos do love conspicuous consumption.
From Los Angeles Times
Yet the most important summer arrival may well have been the least conspicuous.
From BBC
“When you’re an analyst or an associate, you want to look clean, sharp and polished, but conspicuous branding should be avoided.”
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
For all the play’s prolific acclaim, “Amadeus” has had a conspicuous second act problem.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
