conspicuously

American

[kuhn-spik-yoo-uhs-lee] / kənˈspɪk ju əs li /

adverb

in a way that is obvious or easily seen, or that attracts notice, often intentionally.

Safety guidelines shall be conspicuously posted in all work areas.
In many ways, both conspicuously and sometimes more subtly, the movie challenges gender stereotypes.

Etymology

Origin of conspicuously

conspicuous ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When you do something conspicuously, you do it in a way that's very obvious or easy to see. If you're conspicuously reading a novel during math class, your teacher will probably notice. The adverb conspicuously is perfect for describing things that happen in a clear or showy way. If you want to attract attention, you might conspicuously toss water balloons at cars driving by or conspicuously juggle oranges in the grocery store. Conspicuously comes from the adjective conspicuous, or "easily visible," which has a Latin root, conspicuus, "open to view or striking."

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Vocabulary lists containing conspicuously

"The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allan Poe

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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.

Schwartz also highlighted one conspicuously large bullish bet: A single trader bought 7,000 calls with a strike price of $325 that were set to expire in July.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026

He was however conspicuously set to skip the main international ceremony marking the anniversary of the landings, which heralded an end to World War II, later in the afternoon.

From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026

Despite the statue being covered entirely in gold, the production looks conspicuously cheap.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026

This interest was deepened by the publication of the Allen’s alleged manifesto, first reported by the New York Post, in which Allen conspicuously remarks on the security at the Washington Hilton.

From Salon • May 1, 2026

Even de Vries, who had so conspicuously forgotten to mention Mendel in his first study, was forced to acknowledge Mendel’s contribution.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023