conspicuous
Americanadjective
-
easily seen or noticed; readily visible or observable.
a conspicuous error.
- Synonyms:
- salient, marked, clear, noticeable, manifest
-
attracting special attention, as by outstanding qualities or eccentricities.
He was conspicuous by his booming laughter.
- Synonyms:
- noteworthy, striking, prominent
adjective
-
clearly visible; obvious or showy
-
attracting attention because of a striking quality or feature
conspicuous stupidity
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of conspicuous
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin conspicuus “clearly seen, visible,” equivalent to conspic(ere) “to see, catch sight of” + -uus adjective suffix; see also conspectus; cf. contiguous, continuous, -ous
Explanation
Keep your eye on the adjective conspicuous for something that stands out so much you notice it right away — like that zit in the center of your friend's forehead. Conspicuous comes from the adjectival form of the Latin verb, conspicere, meaning "to look at." Conspicuous can mean either very obvious to the eye (like something that is conspicuous from a distance) or attracting attention (like conspicuous consumption). If you are doing something wrong, it's wise not to be conspicuous about it!
Vocabulary lists containing conspicuous
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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.
Conspicuous consumption isn’t enough in the Silicon Valley bubble where he tends to wreak havoc.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Conspicuous by their absence for most of the year, the WRU hierarchy will at least be under the microscope when they face the clubs at the annual general meeting on Sunday morning.
From BBC • Nov. 23, 2024
Conspicuous in his absence was Miguel Vargas, the rookie the Dodgers handed the second base job to during spring training, only to see him fumble it away.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 2, 2023
Conspicuous consumption became a part of Jewish American life.
From Salon • Jul. 8, 2023
Winston debated with himself whether to award Comrade Ogilvy the Order of Conspicuous Merit; and in the end he decided against it because of the unnecessary cross-referencing that it would entail.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
