inconspicuous

[ in-kuhn-spik-yoo-uhs ]

adjective

1. not conspicuous, noticeable, or prominent.

   Synonyms: unostentatious, unnoticeable, unobtrusive

inconspicuous

/ ˌɪnkənˈspɪkjʊəs /

adjective

1. not easily noticed or seen; not prominent or striking

Derived Forms

• ˌinconˈspicuousness, noun
• ˌinconˈspicuously, adverb

Other Words From

• incon·spicu·ous·ly adverb
• incon·spicu·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inconspicuous¹

From the Latin word inconspicuus, dating back to 1615–25. See in- ³, conspicuous

Example Sentences

So even a regular, inconspicuous briefcase could hold millions of dollars in bonds.

From Salon

This leads us to one of the most important parts of Smith and de Mesquita’s graph: the inconspicuous gray line on the right.

From Salon

The demand for inconspicuous safety bars, lower sinks, residential elevators and other amenities has given home improvement chains, contractors, designers and architects a noticeable lift.

From Seattle Times

The inconspicuous animal resided in the ancient seas of Earth, likely crawling along the seafloor.

From Science Daily

Though it’s been designed to be completely inconspicuous and convincing, Aaron Weintraub, the head of creative operations at the visual effects studio MPC, describes this moment as “one of our flagship shots.”

From New York Times

Related Words

• unobtrusive