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.
Shepard called his transfer “a blatant act of retaliation.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
"What is happening today is a blatant change of geography. It is systematic destruction."
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
"It was so brazen and so blatant, that they made this at the very top."
From BBC • May 15, 2026
But maybe in some twisted reality, their donation really was a move of pure benevolence, and not a blatant way to worm their wealth into another facet of our everyday lives.
From Salon • May 6, 2026
How did I expect to get away with such a blatant act of vandalism?
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
