obvious

[ ob-vee-uhs ]
See synonyms for: obviousobviouslyobviousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. easily seen, recognized, or understood; open to view or knowledge; evident: an obvious advantage.

  2. lacking in subtlety.

  1. Obsolete. being or standing in the way.

Origin of obvious

1
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin obvius “in the way, lying in the path,” equivalent to ob- ob- + vi(a) way1 + -us, adjective suffix (see -ous)

synonym study For obvious

1. See apparent.

Other words for obvious

Opposites for obvious

Other words from obvious

  • ob·vi·ous·ly, adverb
  • ob·vi·ous·ness, noun
  • non·ob·vi·ous, adjective
  • non·ob·vi·ous·ly, adverb
  • non·ob·vi·ous·ness, noun
  • o·ver·ob·vi·ous, adjective
  • pre·ob·vi·ous, adjective
  • pre·ob·vi·ous·ly, adverb
  • pre·ob·vi·ous·ness, noun
  • un·ob·vi·ous, adjective
  • un·ob·vi·ous·ly, adverb
  • un·ob·vi·ous·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with obvious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use obvious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for obvious

obvious

/ (ˈɒbvɪəs) /


adjective
  1. easy to see or understand; evident

  2. exhibiting motives, feelings, intentions, etc, clearly or without subtlety

  1. naive or unsubtle: the play was rather obvious

  2. obsolete being or standing in the way

Origin of obvious

1
C16: from Latin obvius, from obviam in the way, from ob- against + via way

Derived forms of obvious

  • obviousness, 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