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.
Obviously, when I said I could go on this trip, I was still employed and expected to have income.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
“Every day I’m doing stuff I’m supposed to do. Obviously recovery, now I’m working … just going day by day, and I feel better every day.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Obviously, I have the most experience on the team and have the most play-off experience on the team so I know how a series can go.
From BBC • May 2, 2026
Obviously, you’ll be smarter to not do it, but that is an impossible message.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Obviously many of them were known to one another, for as they hobbled along in ones and twos and sometimes small groups, they exchanged greetings and news.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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.
