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.
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
The corner of the yard, shaded by mesquite and shoestring willows, had fallen conspicuously quiet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
Then I was moving close, and coming to a stop conspicuously in the space left for pedestrians to pass through the crowd.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
