blatant
Americanadjective
-
brazenly obvious; flagrant.
a blatant error in simple addition; a blatant lie.
- Synonyms:
- obtrusive, undeniable, overt, unmistakable
- Antonyms:
- inconspicuous, hidden, subtle
-
offensively noisy or loud; clamorous.
blatant radios.
-
tastelessly conspicuous.
the blatant colors of the dress.
adjective
-
glaringly conspicuous or obvious
a blatant lie
-
offensively noticeable
blatant disregard for a person's feelings
-
offensively noisy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of blatant
Coined by Edmund Spenser in 1596; compare Latin blatīre “to babble, prate,” blaterāre “to talk foolishly, babble”
Explanation
Something blatant is very obvious and offensive. Don't get caught in a blatant lie, because you won't be able to weasel your way out of it. Blatant acts are done without trying to hide them. This adjective is probably from Latin blaterare "to chatter, croak" or Latin blatīre "to chatter, gossip." A near synonym is flagrant.
Vocabulary lists containing blatant
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
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Grade 9, List 2
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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.
Blatant corruption, it seems, has become just another perk of the job.
From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026
"Blatant racism," tweeted Renata Souza, a black activist and regional politician from Rio de Janeiro.
From BBC • May 25, 2023
Blatant signs of glee are not in their playbook.
From Washington Post • Mar. 31, 2022
Blatant disregard of our beautiful national forests should be more than a misdemeanor.
From Washington Times • Jul. 22, 2020
Sere´na, allured by the mildness of the weather, went into the fields to gather wild flowers for a garland, when she was attacked by the Blatant Beast, who carried her off in its mouth.
From Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook, Vol. 3 by Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham
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.
