adjective
-
easy to see or understand; evident
-
exhibiting motives, feelings, intentions, etc, clearly or without subtlety
-
naive or unsubtle
the play was rather obvious
-
obsolete being or standing in the way
Related Words
See apparent.
Other Word Forms
- nonobvious adjective
- nonobviously adverb
- nonobviousness noun
- obviously adverb
- obviousness noun
- overobvious adjective
- preobvious adjective
- preobviously adverb
- preobviousness noun
- unobvious adjective
- unobviously adverb
- unobviousness noun
Etymology
Origin of obvious
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin obvius “in the way, lying in the path,” equivalent to ob- ob- ( def. ) + vi(a) way 1 ( def. ) + -us, adjective suffix ( -ous ( def. ) )
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.
Truffert's challenge was checked and cleared by the VAR, Craig Pawson, who decided there was no clear and obvious error.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
That loyalty has been obvious, as Bondi put on quite a performance in February during a congressional hearing over her department’s handling of the Epstein files.
From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026
“This is an obvious area of debate for investors and one where both sides have very pointed views,” Muse wrote.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Saving for a four-year degree once felt like the obvious way to help a child get ahead.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
This phrase would typically be spoken when someone has said something obvious.
From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
