apparent
Americanadjective
-
readily seen; exposed to sight; open to view; visible.
The crack in the wall was readily apparent.
- Synonyms:
- discernible
-
capable of being easily perceived or understood; plain or clear; obvious.
The solution to the problem was apparent to all.
- Synonyms:
- unmistakable, manifest, conspicuous, open
- Antonyms:
- obscure
-
according to appearances, initial evidence, incomplete results, etc.; ostensible rather than actual.
He was the apparent winner of the election.
-
entitled to a right of inheritance by birth, indefeasible except by one's death before that of the ancestor, to an inherited throne, title, or other estate.
adjective
-
readily seen or understood; evident; obvious
-
(usually prenominal) seeming, as opposed to real
his apparent innocence belied his complicity in the crime
-
physics as observed but ignoring such factors as the motion of the observer, changes in the environment, etc Compare true
Usage
What does apparent mean? Apparent means clear, obvious, or easily observed. It’s also commonly used in a way that means based on the appearance of things, as opposed to what is definitely true. Something described as apparent in this way has not been confirmed or proven, and the word is often used in this way in journalism, as in The video shows the suspect in an apparent altercation with the store clerk. The adverb form of apparent is apparently, which is most often used to refer to things that appear a certain way but may not actually be so. Example: He hasn’t said so, but he’s made it very apparent that he wants to take a vacation—the other day he put on a video of ocean waves and sat in front of it in a beach chair.
Synonym Usage
Apparent, evident, obvious, patent all refer to something easily perceived. Apparent applies to that which can readily be seen or perceived: an apparent effort. Evident applies to that which facts or circumstances make plain: His innocence was evident. Obvious applies to that which is unquestionable, because of being completely manifest or noticeable: an obvious change of method. Patent, a more formal word, applies to that which is open to view or understanding by all: a patent error.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of apparent
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin appārent-, stem of appārēns “appearing,” present participle of appārēre “to come into view, become visible”; replacing Middle English aparant, from Middle French; see appear
Explanation
Apparent means obvious, but — and this is confusing — it can also mean something that seems to be true but isn't definite. "The train's arrival is apparent — it's in the station — but apparently my friend missed it because she is not getting off." It makes sense that apparent has the same ancient root as appear because it's about what is plain to see. Its subtle power of suggestion, however, is wonderfully useful. The "heir apparent" technically means next in line, but the ink isn't dry. The power of apparent is that it leaves the door open for a little ambiguity. Maybe the heir apparent will be the next king, or maybe he'll be overthrown in a bloodless coup by his apparently more ambitious cousin.
Vocabulary lists containing apparent
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
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List 6
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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.
Video game journalist Wesley Yin-Poole, director of news at IGN, says the apparent leaks will be tough for the game's developers.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
At some point, a motorcycle rider engaged the suspect, following and gesticulating at him and, at a red light, getting off his bike in an apparent attempt to open the Honda’s passenger-side door.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Its unusual scientific importance became apparent when crinoid specialists Drs. Cole and Wright examined the specimen closely during a research visit.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Employee monitors like one made by a company called Insightful cross-check your online status with your calendar to see whether there is a valid reason for your apparent inactivity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
He believed that Russian manipulation of tournaments had become a great deal more “open,” or apparent, presumably in response to his threat of domination.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
