inconspicuous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inconspicuous
From the Latin word inconspicuus, dating back to 1615–25. See in- 3, conspicuous
Explanation
Inconspicuous describes something that doesn't stand out or attract attention. The bad news? You just got pizza sauce on your shirt. The good news? It landed in an inconspicuous spot, so no one will notice. Inconspicuous comes from the Latin word inconspicuus, or "not visible," and the original meaning of inconspicuous was "invisible," until around 1828. Today, it describes anything that blends in or isn't very noticeable. If you have ever tried to find your black luggage among all the other pieces of black luggage at the airport, you know that sometimes, being inconspicuous makes things harder.
Vocabulary lists containing inconspicuous
Speak
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "I"
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The Jungle
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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.
It appeared as cooking oil, frying fat, shortening, salad dressing, mayonnaise and an inconspicuous ingredient in packaged foods.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
It isn’t easy for Justin to be inconspicuous while walking around town, although he doesn’t seem to crave the spotlight.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
This regression is usually “incremental and often inconspicuous, spanning years or even decades,” the report’s authors write.
From Slate ● Mar. 17, 2026
In an inconspicuous building near the UK's Mildenhall air base, drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems is opening a new production line, like other Ukrainian arms companies looking to secure supply chain and boost capacity.
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026
He turned then to Jethro, who stood beside the counter, his body hunched together as if in an effort to make himself as inconspicuous as possible.
From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
