apparent

[ uh-pair-uhnt, uh-par- ]

See synonyms for: apparent apparently on Thesaurus.com

adjective

readily seen; exposed to sight; open to view; visible: The crack in the wall was readily apparent.
capable of being easily perceived or understood; plain or clear; obvious: The solution to the problem was apparent to all.

according to appearances, initial evidence, incomplete results, etc.; ostensible rather than actual: He was the apparent winner of the election.
entitled to a right of inheritance by birth, indefeasible except by one's death before that of the ancestor, to an inherited throne, title, or other estate.: Compare heir apparent, heir presumptive.

Origin of apparent

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin appārent-, stem of appārēns “appearing,” present participle of appārēre “to come into view, become visible”; replacing Middle English aparant, from Middle French; see appear

synonym study For apparent

2. Apparent, evident, obvious, patent all refer to something easily perceived. Apparent applies to that which can readily be seen or perceived: an apparent effort. Evident applies to that which facts or circumstances make plain: His innocence was evident. Obvious applies to that which is unquestionable, because of being completely manifest or noticeable: an obvious change of method. Patent, a more formal word, applies to that which is open to view or understanding by all: a patent error.

Other words for apparent

1	discernible
2	open, conspicuous, manifest, unmistakable

See synonyms for apparent on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for apparent

2	concealed, obscure

See antonyms for apparent on Thesaurus.com

Other words from apparent

ap·par·ent·ly, adverb
ap·par·ent·ness, noun
non·ap·par·ent, adjective
non·ap·par·ent·ly, adverb
non·ap·par·ent·ness, noun
self-ap·parent, adjective
sub·ap·par·ent, adjective
sub·ap·par·ent·ly, adverb
sub·ap·par·ent·ness, noun
un·ap·par·ent, adjective
un·ap·par·ent·ly, adverb
un·ap·par·ent·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use apparent in a sentence

Contact with thorns and brambles had made shipwreck of the immaculate frock-coat; his linen was non-apparent.
The Cruise of the Make-Believes | Tom Gallon
The traces of that delight, however, lay beneath so well schooled an exterior that they were decidedly non-apparent.
The Palace of Darkened Windows | Mary Hastings Bradley
The first criticism is verbal, on the non-apparent distinction between "works" and "formal acts recorded."
The Popham Colony | William Frederick Poole
To the rest of mankind Νοητὰ are non-apparent and non-existent.
Plato and the Other Companions of Sokrates, 3rd ed. Volume III (of 4) | George Grote

British Dictionary definitions for apparent

apparent

/ (əˈpærənt, əˈpɛər-) /

adjective

readily seen or understood; evident; obvious
(usually prenominal) seeming, as opposed to real: his apparent innocence belied his complicity in the crime

physics as observed but ignoring such factors as the motion of the observer, changes in the environment, etc: Compare true (def. 9)

Origin of apparent

C14: from Latin appārēns, from appārēre to appear

Derived forms of apparent

apparentness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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