visibility
Americannoun
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the state or fact of being visible.
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the relative ability to be seen under given conditions of distance, light, atmosphere, etc..
low visibility due to fog.
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Also called visual range. Meteorology. the distance at which a given standard object can be seen and identified with the unaided eye.
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the ability to give a relatively large range of unobstructed vision.
a windshield with good visibility.
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Typography. legibility.
noun
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the condition or fact of being visible
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clarity of vision or relative possibility of seeing
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the range of vision
visibility is 500 yards
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of visibility
1575–85; < Late Latin vīsibilitās, equivalent to Latin vīsibili ( s ) visible + -tās -ty 2
Explanation
Use the noun visibility to describe how well you can see something, like the great visibility from the top of a mountain on a clear day. In addition to meaning "how well you can see," visibility can also mean "how well others can see something." So, the reflective stripes on your running pants give you visibility in the dark because they help other people see you. Another kind of visibility is being in the public eye, like an actor whose visibility helps him land roles in movies and promote the causes he cares about, like literacy or helping endangered animals.
Vocabulary lists containing visibility
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List 8
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Tina Turner (1939–2023) Tribute List
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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.
Visibility became limited to the area illuminated by their flashlights.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
The Transgender Day of Visibility is observed each year on March 31, which coincidentally fell on Easter Sunday in 2024.
From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026
There's a perpetual conflict between entertainment and responsibility in reality TV shows, because conflict drives the story, said Hemmings, author of Familiar Strangers: The Psychology of our Relationship with Fame in the Age of Visibility.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
A prolific advocate for disability justice, Wong authored a memoir, penned numerous essays, edited two anthologies, hosted a podcast and founded the Disability Visibility Project, a platform for disabled writers and artists.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2025
By then, he recalled, Visibility was maybe a meter.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
