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.
Dodgers player Hernandez -- who said during last summer's crackdown he was "saddened and infuriated by what's happening" -- conspicuously did not attend.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Like most political journalists, to whom he made himself conspicuously available, I spent much time with the senator over his career.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
His second son and successor, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, was conspicuously absent from his father's funeral.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
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 also managed, on behalf of Mollie’s family, the team of private eyes that conspicuously never cracked any of the cases.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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.
