prominent
Americanadjective
-
standing out so as to be seen easily; particularly noticeable; conspicuous.
Her eyes are her most prominent feature.
- Antonyms:
- inconspicuous, unobtrusive
-
standing out beyond the adjacent surface or line; projecting.
- Synonyms:
- protuberant, obvious
-
leading, important, or well-known.
a prominent citizen.
- Synonyms:
- distinguished, renowned, famed, famous, celebrated, eminent
adjective
-
jutting or projecting outwards
-
standing out from its surroundings; noticeable
-
widely known; eminent
Other Word Forms
- nonprominent adjective
- overprominent adjective
- prominently adverb
- prominentness noun
Etymology
Origin of prominent
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin prōminent- (stem of prōminēns ), present participle of prominēre “to project, stand out,” equivalent to pro- pro- 1 + -minēre; imminent
Explanation
If you're looking for an adjective that means "sticking out above the rest; famous," consider prominent. A prominent person might be the big star, the head honcho, the top dog — not just any ordinary person. A prominence is anything that juts out, like a bone or a mountain ridge. Prominent, then, means "sticking out" either in a literal sense ("a prominent nose") or a figurative one ("a prominent figure in the industry"). The metaphorical sense of "famous" is the most common one today, so you're more likely to hear about prominent people than prominent noses.
Vocabulary lists containing prominent
List 1
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Power Prefix: pro
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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.
Yawger said he is “certain there’s going to be elements inside Hezbollah who are reluctant to give up the fight,” so it will be important to see whether those voices become more prominent.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
“There was no medical negligence,” Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s personal doctor and the most prominent defendant, told journalists shortly after the striker’s death.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
As various observers have noted, this isn’t the first time a prominent brand has latched onto tech buzzwords as a means of securing investment and relevance.
From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026
The Pope is not above a certain level of criticism, says Peter Wolfgang, the executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, and a prominent voice of the US Catholic "right".
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Without ever saying so directly, they were talking about themselves and the other prominent members of the revolutionary generation.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
