conspicuously
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of conspicuously
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."
Vocabulary lists containing conspicuously
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.
Customs officials said the 45-year-old Mexican firefighter had looked "conspicuously nervous" as he tried to go through the green - nothing to declare - exit at the airport.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
The paper’s biggest flaws came from factors it conspicuously ignored.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
GLP-1 drugs have transformed the public conversation around appetite and weight loss; “ThinTok” has given restriction a new algorithmic sheen; conspicuously thin celebrity bodies are once again objects of fascination.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
"Such unflattering incidents are conspicuously absent from Byfield's earlier accounts of his military service," O'Keeffe says.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026
At the firm, she worked quietly, trying to be friendly but invisible, just like at Warren High School, where she tried not to fall asleep conspicuously.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
