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inconspicuous

inconspicuous

15 6.9
Not easy to see or notice
  • adjective
  • /ˌɪnkənˈspɪkjuəs/
: poco visible
  • When she entered the crowded cafe, she chose a seat in an inconspicuous corner.
  • inconspicuous nucleolus
  • inconspicuous nuclei
  • inconspicuous species

I want to try it out right here in this inconspicuous box.

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Examples

  • Clearly, the Japanese have been extremely successful in finding a more inconspicuous way of conducting trade with South Africa.

    Academic text (1991)
  • My guess is he's stashing his wheels in some inconspicuous spot, going the rest of the way on foot.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Try to be as inconspicuous as possible.

  • We needed the most inconspicuous place possible to stage our planning operations.

  • Do they make me look inconspicuous?

  • In first grade, he also remained inconspicuous, as far as I was concerned.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Then he lowered the seat to make himself inconspicuous from outside.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Fortunately for us, she moved to a small inconspicuous town, perfect for you and I to hide out in.

  • It must be really hard trying to be so inconspicuous and quiet.

  • And it gives me time to scan the cafeteria for a friendly face or an inconspicuous corner.

    Fiction book (1999)

Synonyms

invisible
vsinconspicuous
319 2.7

Not easy for other people to notice

describes less absolute absence, meaning simply not very noticeable
discreet
vsinconspicuous
106 5.8

Careful about what you say and do to avoid upsetting people or drawing attention

is about lacking visual prominence, not deliberate cautious behavior to hide
unnoticed
vsinconspicuous
63 2.5

Other people do not see or pay attention to it

is about general lack of prominence, not only being missed once
unobtrusive
vsinconspicuous
8 6.7

Not attracting attention or standing out to others

is the general state of not being prominent rather than chosen modesty
obscure
vsinconspicuous
4 6.6

Not easily seen or noticed

is about being missed in everyday settings rather than being hard to locate
unspectacular
vsinconspicuous
3 4.1

Ordinary and not very impressive

is about subtle lack of visibility, not merely being unimpressive
unnoticeable
vsinconspicuous
2 4.6

Hard to see or notice

is milder, meaning simply lacking prominence rather than total invisibility
unimposing
vsinconspicuous
1 6.1

Not attracting attention because it looks plain or simple

is about not drawing attention rather than lacking impressive form
unobvious
vsinconspicuous
1 7.8

Hard to notice or understand at first

is more about lacking visible prominence than needing deep thought
nonobvious
vsinconspicuous
1 7.4

Not easy to see or understand without careful thinking

is focused on low visibility rather than being hard to understand
unostentatious
vsinconspicuous
1 7.8

Simple and modest in style and not trying to attract attention

is simply about low visibility, not about moral restraint or taste
unintrusive
vsinconspicuous
1 5.8

Not attracting attention or getting in the way

is simply a state of low visibility, not active noninterference or courtesy
unflashy
vsinconspicuous
1 4.4

Simple in style and not trying to attract attention

is more about not being prominent rather than style or plainness
indistinctive
vsinconspicuous
1 7.2

Not having clear features that make it different

focuses on not catching notice, not on missing unique features
unapparent
vsinconspicuous
1 7.9

Not easily seen, noticed, or understood

focuses on not being prominent rather than needing special examination
undistinctive
vsinconspicuous
1 5.6

Lacking special features that make it stand out

is about being unseen or not remarked upon, not about lacking uniqueness
inapparent
vsinconspicuous
1 8.1

Hard to see or notice

is more about not standing out than about complete absence from view
nonmanifest
vsinconspicuous
8.8

Not easy to see or notice

is about not drawing attention in general rather than being hidden intentionally

Antonyms

46 5.1

Easy to see and notice because it stands out

How Conspicuous

conspicuous
46 5.1
noticeable
65 3.2
inconspicuous
15 6.9
unobtrusive
8 6.7
invisible
147 3.7

Surface Forms

inconspicuous positive
inconspicuously positive

Morphology

inconspicuous = conspicuous (transparent) = in + conspicuous

This is a standard negative-prefix formation meaning simply 'not conspicuous'.

Etymology

Inconspicuous is made of in- meaning 'not' and conspicuous, which comes from a root meaning 'to see' and is the same root in spectacle. So inconspicuous means 'not easy to see' or 'not attracting attention'.