perspicuous

adjective

pər-ˈspi-kyə-wəs How to pronounce perspicuous (audio)
Definition of perspicuousnext
as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation believing that poetry need not be as perspicuous as prose, he writes poems that are intentionally ambiguous

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective perspicuous differ from other similar words?

The words clear and lucid are common synonyms of perspicuous. While all three words mean "quickly and easily understood," perspicuous applies to a style that is simple and elegant as well as clear.

a perspicuous style

When is clear a more appropriate choice than perspicuous?

While the synonyms clear and perspicuous are close in meaning, clear implies freedom from obscurity, ambiguity, or undue complexity.

clear instructions

When might lucid be a better fit than perspicuous?

In some situations, the words lucid and perspicuous are roughly equivalent. However, lucid suggests a clear logical coherence and evident order of arrangement.

a lucid explanation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of perspicuous But where Hofstadter is playfully enigmatic and brashly brainy, Chalmers’s writing is perspicuous and teacherly — an approach that keeps it from collapsing into recalcitrant obscurity. — Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2022 Conditions in the state the planes left behind them were far less perspicuous. — The Economist, 8 Feb. 2020 The president began his Monday by scrutinizing his national security briefing, filling its margins with perspicuous questions and observations. — Eric Levitz, Daily Intelligencer, 10 July 2017 Unspoken but perspicuous is the wish to (at worst) score points off Democrats and (at best) free up a seat on the nation’s most important appeals court for a nominee from the Federalist Society weapons locker. — Garrett Epps, The Atlantic, 12 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perspicuous
  1. obvious
  2. unmistakable
  3. apparent
  4. evident
  5. straightforward
  6. clear
  7. distinct
Adjective
  • His first season with Bayern Munich, after leaving Liverpool in summer 2023, brought decent numbers but obvious tactical issues, leading to a sale to Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia for nearly the same fee a year later.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Film noir is the most obvious one, and much of the episode takes both its visual cues and its tone from classic noir.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of obvious
Adjective
  • But watch Amziah King and the actor’s fresh energy remains unmistakable.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The result is spicy and luscious, the chili mix lending it an unmistakable tang of Thai red curry.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unmistakable
Adjective
  • The note briefly displayed in court Thursday offered jurors in Clancy’s triple-murder trial perhaps their best glimpse yet at the Massachusetts mother’s apparent perspective on her own struggle with mental health leading up to the killings.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As students returned to campuses earlier this week to begin a new school year, the district’s worst-case scenario has not come to pass, although its apparent financial reprieve remains fragile.
    — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of apparent
Adjective
  • Speaking of Sugar’s caseload, Season 2’s improvements are evident beyond the inevitable advantages of outing him as an alien.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026
  • No one in this film has a moral core, which is especially evident in the film’s ending.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of evident
Adjective
  • That’s understandable because counting individuals is straightforward.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The option for upgrading any flight with these rewards is straightforward.
    — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of straightforward
Adjective
  • Egg freezing, formally called oocyte preservation, is one of the clearest ways to extend a woman’s childbearing years.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Fires are often started illegally by plantation owners or traditional farmers to clear land for planting and those burns periodically blanket parts of Southeast Asia in hazardous haze, authorities said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of clear
Adjective
  • Packages of drugs are often packaged with other distinct designs.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • However, a whole-brain analysis did show distinct patterns of activity when the dogs saw faces showing the negative emotions.
    — Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of distinct

Browse Nearby Words

perspicuity
perspicuous
perspicuousness
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Cite this Entry

“Perspicuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicuous. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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