Obvious — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈäb-vē-əs/ ob·vi·ous

Meaning & Definition of Obvious

Obvious (adjective)

  1. easily discovered, seen, or understood
  2. being in the way or in front

Obvious (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation

    "that remark was an obvious joke, so lighten up"

    similar: apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident, lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, pellucid, perspicuous, plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unambivalent, unequivocal, unmistakable
    related: cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable, intelligible, knowable, understandable, self-evident, self-explanatory, clean-cut, simple, tidy, uncomplicated, overt, undisguised, appreciable, perceptible, recognizable, sensible, tangible, discernible, noticeable, observable, visible, black-and-white, explicit, trenchant, well-defined, clean, decipherable, fair, legible, readable
    opposite: ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, indistinct, mysterious, nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear
    near: incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indiscernible, insensible, cloudy, gauzy, gray, hazy, imprecise, indefinite, indeterminate, misty, murky, nebulous, noncommittal, sketchy, slippery, subtle, vague, illegible, undecipherable, unreadable

  2. very noticeable especially for being incorrect or bad

    "obvious errors in the book that the editor or proofreader should have caught"

    similar: blatant, conspicuous, egregious, flagrant, glaring, gross, patent, pronounced, rank, striking
    related: arresting, clear, distinct, dramatic, emphatic, evident, eye-catching, marked, notable, noticeable, outstanding, plain, prominent, remarkable, salient, showy, splashy, absolute, arrant, downright, out-and-out, outright, sheer, stark, utter, detectable, discernible, observable, perceptible, visible, abominable, atrocious, awful, deplorable, execrable, heinous, lousy, monstrous, outrageous, preposterous, shameful, shocking, terrible, wretched
    near: imperceptible, inconspicuous, unnoticeable, unobtrusive, inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, slight, small, trifling, trivial, concealed, hidden, invisible

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Obvious

The most common words with a similar meaning to Obvious:

apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear, clear-cut, crystal clear, decided, distinct, evident, lucid, luculent, luminous, manifest, nonambiguous, open-and-shut, palpable, patent, pellucid, perspicuous, plain, ringing, straightforward, transparent, unambiguous, unambivalent, unequivocal, unmistakable, blatant, conspicuous, egregious, flagrant, glaring, gross, pronounced, rank, striking

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Obvious

Words with the opposite meaning of Obvious:

ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, indistinct, mysterious, nonobvious, obfuscated, obscure, unapparent, unclarified, unclear

Related Words for Obvious

cognizable, cognoscible, comprehendible, comprehensible, digestible, fathomable, graspable, intelligible, knowable, understandable, self-evident, self-explanatory, clean-cut, simple, tidy, uncomplicated, overt, undisguised, appreciable, perceptible, recognizable, sensible, tangible, discernible, noticeable, observable, visible, black-and-white, explicit, trenchant

Near Antonyms of Obvious

incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable, unintelligible, unknowable, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indiscernible, insensible, cloudy, gauzy, gray, hazy, imprecise, indefinite, indeterminate, misty, murky, nebulous, noncommittal, sketchy, slippery, subtle, vague, illegible, undecipherable, unreadable, inconspicuous, unnoticeable

Word Forms of Obvious

Derived words: obviousness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Obvious

Latin obvius, from obviam in the way, from ob in the way of + viam, accusative of via way ob-, via

First known use: 1583

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Obvious

Words & Phrases Containing Obvious

state the obvious, the obvious

Frequently Asked Questions about Obvious

What does "Obvious" mean?

"Obvious" means easily discovered, seen, or understood. As an adjective, it is defined as: easily discovered, seen, or understood. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Obvious"?

Other words for "Obvious" include apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear and clear-cut. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Obvious" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Obvious"?

There are 110 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Obvious". Common alternatives include apparent, bald, bald-faced, barefaced, bright-line, broad, clear, clear-cut, crystal clear and decided.

What is the opposite of "Obvious"?

Antonyms of "Obvious" include ambiguous, clouded, cryptic, dark, enigmatic, equivocal, indistinct and mysterious. Near antonyms include incomprehensible, indecipherable, unfathomable and unintelligible.

How do you use "Obvious" in a sentence?

Examples of "Obvious" in a sentence: "that remark was an obvious joke, so lighten up"; "obvious errors in the book that the editor or proofreader should have caught".

Is "Obvious" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Obvious" is an adjective.

Is "Obvious" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Obvious" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Obvious"?

"Obvious" is pronounced /ˈäb-vē-əs/ and divided into syllables as ob·vi·ous.