obviously
Britishadverb
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in a way that is easy to see or understand; evidently
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without subtlety
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(sentence modifier) it is obvious that; clearly
obviously not everyone wants a bank account
Explanation
Something obviously true is clearly, totally, unmistakably true. There's just no doubt about it. Obviously is a word people use when they are sure of something and sure that it's plainly clear to others. When you get presents on your birthday, you're obviously happy. Dogs obviously like to chase squirrels. The sky is obviously blue. People also use this word when they're being mean or sarcastic. If you didn't know who walked on the moon, a friend might say, "Obviously, it was Neil Armstrong!"
Vocabulary lists containing obviously
Holes
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Novel Study: The Crucible, Act 2
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Frindle
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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.
"The truth is, obviously Kimi's been doing an amazing job this season, and clearly the two of us have quite different driving styles," Russell said.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
That works for the National Football League, where 10 different teams have reached the Super Bowl over the last 10 years — some of them, obviously, more than once.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
As the Atlantic reported this week, the “pushback was so overwhelming, so obviously coordinated, so ugly and personal that it became a story.”
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
“The behavioral incentives are so obviously horrible,” he wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
That little nip from her, from my family, who is so obviously here not to support me but to join in the roast, helps me to refocus.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
