CONSPICUOUS

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Obvious to the eye or mind

Example:

made herself conspicuous by her exhibitionistic preening

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

attention-getting; eye-catching (seizing the attention)

big; large; prominent (conspicuous in position or importance)

bold (clear and distinct)

crying; egregious; flagrant; glaring; gross; rank (conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible)

featured (made a feature or highlight; given prominence)

in evidence (clearly to be seen)

marked (singled out for notice or especially for a dire fate)

outstanding; prominent; salient; spectacular; striking (having a quality that thrusts itself into attention)

Also:

indiscreet (lacking discretion; injudicious)

Attribute:

conspicuousness (high visibility)

Antonym:

inconspicuous (not prominent or readily noticeable)

Derivation:

conspicuousness (high visibility)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

Example:

a blazing indiscretion

Synonyms:

blatant; blazing; conspicuous

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

unconcealed (not concealed or hidden)

Derivation:

conspicuousness (the state of being conspicuous)

Credits

Context examples:

A WHO grade II tumor composed of a conspicuous mixture of two distinct neoplastic cell types morphologically resembling the tumor cells in oligodendroglioma and diffuse astrocytoma.

(Oligoastrocytoma, NCI Thesaurus/WHO)

A disorder characterized by a conspicuous change in a person's behavior and thinking.

(Personality Change, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

I had abundant occupation for my thoughts, in every conspicuous landmark on the road.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The blade is usually the largest and most conspicuous part; excludes the petiole and the stalk.

(Blade, Food and Drug Administration)

Social interactions within a predator species can have “evolutionary consequences” for potential prey – such as the conspicuous warning colours of insects like ladybirds.

(Birds learn from each other’s ‘disgust’, enabling insects to evolve bright colours, University of Cambridge)

The cell nuclei are large, ovoid to round and are not basally located with marked irregular nuclear membranes, cleared, vesicular, clumped, or densely hyperchromatic chromatin, and large conspicuous nucleoli.

(High Grade Flat Tubular Dysplasia of the Mouse Intestinal Tract, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

Martin and Professor Caldwell had got together in a conspicuous corner, and though Martin no longer wove the air with his hands, to Ruth's critical eye he permitted his own eyes to flash and glitter too frequently, talked too rapidly and warmly, grew too intense, and allowed his aroused blood to redden his cheeks too much.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The fire therefore died away, and Catherine, having spent the best part of an hour in her arrangements, was beginning to think of stepping into bed, when, on giving a parting glance round the room, she was struck by the appearance of a high, old-fashioned black cabinet, which, though in a situation conspicuous enough, had never caught her notice before.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

She was sitting by Edward, and in taking his tea from Mrs. Dashwood, his hand passed so directly before her, as to make a ring, with a plait of hair in the centre, very conspicuous on one of his fingers.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

You will not wonder, Watson, that my first act on entering your rooms was to close your shutters, and that I have been compelled to ask your permission to leave the house by some less conspicuous exit than the front door.