obviously
Britishadverb
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in a way that is easy to see or understand; evidently
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without subtlety
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(sentence modifier) it is obvious that; clearly
obviously not everyone wants a bank account
Explanation
Something obviously true is clearly, totally, unmistakably true. There's just no doubt about it. Obviously is a word people use when they are sure of something and sure that it's plainly clear to others. When you get presents on your birthday, you're obviously happy. Dogs obviously like to chase squirrels. The sky is obviously blue. People also use this word when they're being mean or sarcastic. If you didn't know who walked on the moon, a friend might say, "Obviously, it was Neil Armstrong!"
Vocabulary lists containing obviously
Holes
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Novel Study: The Crucible, Act 2
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Frindle
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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.
“Money isn’t everything, even though it obviously helps,” said Andrea Godfrey Flynn, a marketing professor at the University of San Diego.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Ellen White: Well, obviously I want England to win it.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
“We obviously hope for every co-investment to get this large,” Scott Wilson, WashU’s endowment chief, wrote in an email, “but few businesses compound at this rate for such a long period of time.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
As for her job, the commute is obviously taking time out of your life, and sitting in traffic and/or on a train every morning can be an energy-zapping experience.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
At this, he steps back and obviously looks, because how else are you supposed to respond to such a ridiculous thing?
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
