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
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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
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
Adjective
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Lionsgate post-Starz spin-off would be the most obvious choice, without the weight of cable networks on both sides and with a host of still-viable Lionsgate franchises including John Wick, The Hunger Games and Saw.—
Howard Homonoff,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Sending in the National Guard was an obvious military flex, designed to to bait Angelenos while perhaps distracting Americans from Trump’s far greater troubles.—
Mary McNamara,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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So, while Israel is flying the planes, the United States is sending an unmistakable message that its multi-decade strategic partnership with Israel is formidable in the face of threats from anti-American, anti-Western authoritarian regimes.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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An 'unmistakable' long-term trend In practice, investors want to keep their money in the market over decades, and many presidencies.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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When asked where Jean lived, Joseph gave an address that police later identified as Roseau’s, an apparent building on Snyder Ave.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2025
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This is bad enough, but what really concerns me is the apparent inability of the president and those advising him to consider the secondary or tertiary consequences of their decisions.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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Their more straightforward approach is closer to documentary drama, but the effect is not so disparate.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
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All that aside, even without the system transfer, using my Switch 2 has been smooth and straightforward.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Koenig noted in her report that the Emergency Department at Waterbury Hospital was crowded and the need for expansion as planned was evident.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2025
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Meanwhile, King’s status as a last-minute guest was evident in her clothes, the journalist's green sweatsuit standing out among the black-tie attire.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Confusion The back-and-forth on updating the disaster plan and a lack of clear strategic guidance have created confusion for FEMA staff, said one source.—
Leah Douglas,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
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The clear, neutral spirit has dominated American liquor sales for decades, far surpassing whiskey, which once enjoyed an unchallenged status as the nation's preferred spirit.—
Time,
Time,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Pullman Market follows in the footsteps of Eataly before it, but this complex’s concepts are so much more distinct and delicious than anything that forebear has offered.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
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Research suggests disengagement isn't simply the absence of engagement but a distinct psychological state with its own antecedents and consequences.—
Jonathan H. Westover,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perspicuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perspicuous. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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