evident

IPA/ˈevɪdənt/
KK[ˈɛvədənt]IPA/ˈevɪdənt/

evident — adjective

  • evidentpositive
  • more evidentcomparative
  • most evidentsuperlative

1. Something that is evident is so clear and obvious that it seems impossible to do

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Something that is evident is so clear and obvious that it seems impossible to doubt or not notice.

Example

The strain of running the marathon was evident on Tomás's face.

evident + on + body part / surface

It was evident from the children's smiles that they had enjoyed the trip.

it + be + evident + from + that-clause

Common collocations
  • evident to someone
  • evident from something
  • evident that…
  • it is evident that…
  • it became evident that…
  • make something evident
  • clearly / plainly / increasingly evident
Synonyms
  • obvious

    The most common everyday alternative; more direct and less formal than evident.

  • clear

    The broadest of the group; covers both visual clarity and intellectual understanding.

  • apparent

    Similar meaning but can imply something that seems true rather than is certainly true; slightly more formal.

  • noticeable

    Focuses specifically on what can be perceived by the senses, especially sight.

Antonyms
  • unclear

    Not easy to see, understand, or decide.

  • uncertain

    Not definitely known or decided; the opposite of being impossible to doubt.

  • hidden

    Deliberately or naturally kept from being seen or noticed.

Grammar Patterns

evident + to + noun phrase (who perceives)

evident + from + noun phrase (the evidence)

it + be + evident + that-clause

become evident + that-clause

make + noun phrase + evident

Usage Note

Evident is most common in predicative position (after a linking verb such as be or become). It frequently appears with a dummy it subject followed by a that-clause (It was evident that...). The prepositions to and from indicate who perceives the evidence and what the evidence consists of, respectively. Attributive use (an evident mistake) is less common but acceptable in formal writing.

Common Mistakes

There is no evident that he is guilty.
There is no evidence that he is guilty.
Evident is an adjective; evidence is a noun. Do not use evident where the noun is required.
It was evident for me that she was lying.
It was evident to me that she was lying.
The correct preposition after evident is to (indicating the person who perceives), not for.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that is easy to see or understand, but they differ in strength and context. Obvious is the most direct and common in everyday speech — if something makes you want to say "of course," choose obvious. Clear is the broadest and most neutral, covering everything from instructions to weather. Apparent can carry a subtle distinction: it sometimes suggests how things seem rather than how they really are ("For no apparent reason"). Noticeable is the most restricted of the group — it refers specifically to what can be perceived by the senses, especially sight. A stain is noticeable; a logical flaw is clear or obvious. In academic and formal writing, evident is preferred because it carries a tone of reasoned observation rather than casual assertion.

obvious ↗clear ↗apparent ↗noticeable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • it is evident that
  • it became evident that
  • make something evident
  • as is evident from

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Evident comes from Latin evidēns, formed from the prefix e- (a variant of ex-, meaning 'out') and vidēre (meaning 'to see'). The original sense was 'clearly seen, visible to the eye'. The word passed through Old French (evident) before entering Middle English around the 14th century. Its meaning gradually expanded from physical visibility to intellectual clarity — things that can be 'seen' with the mind's eye.