invisible
/ɪnˈvɪzəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈvɪzəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)in-ˈvi-zə-bəl/ (ame, mw)
invisible — adjective
- invisiblepositive
- more invisiblecomparative
- most invisiblesuperlative
1. If something is invisible, it cannot be seen — either because of its nature, its
If something is invisible, it cannot be seen — either because of its nature, its tiny size, or because it is hidden from sight.
Bacteria are invisible to the naked eye, so we use a microscope to study them.
invisible to the naked eye — common fixed phrase
The crack in the wall was almost invisible after Min painted over it.
Under the dark water, the fish became invisible to the birds flying above.
Sade pressed a button and a camera slid into an invisible compartment overhead.
The writing on the old parchment had faded and become nearly invisible.
- unseen
Simply means 'not seen' rather than 'cannot be seen'; a weaker claim — e.g., 'the thief remained unseen' suggests good luck, not magic.
- hidden
Deliberately placed out of sight rather than impossible to see by nature — e.g., 'a hidden key under the mat.'
- imperceptible
More formal and technical; suggests something too slight or gradual to be detected by the senses.
- visible
The direct opposite — able to be seen.
- noticeable
Easy to see or observe.
文法句型
be + invisible + to + noun
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'to' to specify who or what cannot see the object: 'invisible to the naked eye,' 'invisible to radar.'
常見錯誤
2. A person or group that is invisible is ignored by others or treated as though th
A person or group that is invisible is ignored by others or treated as though they do not exist — often used to describe social exclusion or lack of recognition.
Trang felt invisible in her new school because no one talked to her during lunch.
felt invisible — figurative use for being ignored
The homeless community is often treated as invisible by the rest of society.
treated as invisible — social exclusion pattern
Young people sometimes feel invisible when adults dismiss their opinions as unimportant.
Nora's years of hard work remained invisible to her managers at the company.
The contributions of women scientists were invisible in history textbooks for many decades.
- overlooked
Suggests accidental neglect rather than active disregard — e.g., 'an overlooked detail in the report.'
- neglected
Stronger and implies a failure to care for someone or something — e.g., 'neglected children.'
- noticed
Seen or given attention.
- acknowledged
Recognised and responded to.
文法句型
feel + invisible
remain + invisible
treat + object + as invisible
用法筆記
Often used with verbs of sensory experience such as 'feel,' 'remain,' or 'become' to describe a person's subjective experience of being overlooked. Common in social commentary about marginalised groups.
常見錯誤
3. In economics, invisible earnings or invisible trade refers to money a country re
In economics, invisible earnings or invisible trade refers to money a country receives from services such as banking, insurance, tourism, and technology, rather than from selling physical goods.
Money spent by foreign tourists on hotels adds to the country's invisible earnings.
invisible earnings — service-based national income
When a Brazilian firm buys insurance from London, the payment becomes an invisible export.
invisible export — cross-border service transaction
India's software and technology services generate billions in invisible trade each year.
A nation's invisible income includes revenue from banking, shipping, and tourism together.
The government report showed that invisible trade now makes up over half of the economy.
- visible
In economics, 'visible trade' refers to the exchange of physical goods (e.g., cars, food, machinery).
文法句型
invisible + noun (earnings / exports / trade / income)
用法筆記
Almost always used attributively — placed before a noun: 'invisible earnings,' 'invisible exports,' 'invisible trade.' Rarely appears alone. The opposite term is 'visible trade,' which refers to physical goods.
4. Something that is invisible is so small, quiet, or well-designed that it does no
Something that is invisible is so small, quiet, or well-designed that it does not attract attention, even though it can be seen if one looks carefully.
Élise wore an invisible hearing aid small enough to fit inside her ear.
invisible hearing aid — designed to be unnoticeable
The repair to the antique vase was nearly invisible after Arjun finished working on it.
Christopher chose a plain gray suit so he would be almost invisible in the crowd.
Defne placed tiny hooks along the wall, each one almost invisible by itself.
The scar on Tanvi's knee had faded until it was nearly invisible in daylight.
- inconspicuous
The closest synonym — means not attracting attention without implying actual impossibility of being seen.
- unobtrusive
Does not call attention to itself; often describes design or behaviour — e.g., 'an unobtrusive security camera.'
- subtle
Delicate or understated; can describe colours, flavours, or differences — e.g., 'a subtle shade of blue.'
- conspicuous
Attracting attention; easy to see.
- obvious
Easily noticed or understood.
- noticeable
Clear or apparent.
文法句型
be + (almost/nearly) + invisible
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is about the impossibility of seeing something (e.g., too small, transparent, hidden); sense 4 is about something that can be seen but is deliberately or naturally designed not to draw attention.
常見錯誤
invisible — noun
1. An invisible is a being or object beyond the reach of sight — used in fantasy, g
An invisible is a being or object beyond the reach of sight — used in fantasy, games, and science writing for entities that exist but cannot be visually detected.
In the game, the invisible follows the player through the castle and attacks without warning.
the invisible — noun use for an unseen entity
The novel is about a child who can see invisibles that adults cannot perceive.
Nora painted what she called an invisible — a ghost figure in each picture's background.
Scientists study cosmic invisibles, which are forms of matter in space that emit no light.
The ancient invisibles watched over the village from behind waterfalls and inside caves.
文法句型
the invisible
invisibles (plural)
用法筆記
Rare in everyday conversation. Most common in speculative fiction (fantasy novels, role-playing games) and in physics when referring to dark matter or undetectable particles. The plural form 'invisibles' is more frequent than the singular.