blatantly
Americanadverb
-
in a shameless or conspicuous way; flagrantly.
While many of those workers are joining unions, many others are being blatantly ripped off.
-
in a way that is tastelessly loud, garish, or obvious.
She dyes her hair blond, but leaves her dark brown roots blatantly visible.
Etymology
Origin of blatantly
Explanation
When you do something blatantly, you do it obviously, without trying to hide it. You might blatantly lie to your boss if you don't care about getting in trouble. Something done or said blatantly is bold and shameless. You might be doing something bad, but if you're doing it blatantly you're not worried about repercussions. In 1596, the poet Edmund Spenser invented the word blatant, using it to describe a slanderous beast. In the 1600s blatantly meant offensively loud, and by the late 1800s it had its current meaning of "conspicuously, obviously." A similar word is flagrantly, but you'd use it to mean "shockingly," while blatantly is closer to "obnoxiously."
Vocabulary lists containing blatantly
The Crucible
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Wishing Spell
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Wit, Wisdom, AND Vocabulary from Those We Lost in 2015
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
District Court Judge Waverly Crenshaw’s May decision to dismiss an indictment against Abrego Garcia after he found it was a blatantly tainted investigation “with a vindictive motive.”
From Slate ● Aug. 23, 2026
In their complaint, filed in federal court in Washington state, groups including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club argued the government had blatantly violated "common sense, biological science, and federal law."
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Contacted over Discord, Scout denied manipulating markets or trying to swing votes to reach blatantly wrong conclusions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
"People had just run out of ideas as to how to manage this man, when it was blatantly obvious what needed to happen to him," he said.
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
"Thanks for stating the blatantly obvious, Sik," replied Belet.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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.
