Cool MateIn plain sight vs Obvious vs Under my very nose
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
In plain sight
Obvious
Under my very nose
| In plain sight | Obvious | Under my very nose | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɪn pleɪn saɪt//🇺🇸 //ɪn pleɪn saɪt// | 🇬🇧 //ˈɒbvɪəs//🇺🇸 //ˈɑːbvɪəs// | 🇬🇧 //ˈʌndə maɪ ˈvɛri nəʊz//🇺🇸 //ˈʌndər maɪ ˈvɛri noʊz// |
| Meaning | Visible and easily seen | Easy to see or understand | Right in front of me, and I didn't notice. |
| Example | The treasure was hidden in plain sight, right under their noses. | It's obvious that she is very talented. | He stole my sandwich right under my very nose! |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | - | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | ||
| Collocations | hide in plain sight, kept in plain sight, found in plain sight | obvious choice, obvious answer, obvious conclusion | right under my very nose, happen under my very nose, see it under my very nose |
| Antonyms | - | hidden, ambiguous, unclear | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'out of sight', which means not visible., Using it to describe something not actually visible., Misplacing it in sentences requiring a more complex structure. | Confusing with 'oblivious', which means unaware., Using 'obvious' with negative sentences incorrectly, e.g., 'It's not obvious that he is late.', Overusing in formal writing, where 'clear' may be more suitable. | Using it in overly formal contexts., Confusing with 'right under my nose' which has a similar meaning. |
| Usage notes | Used when something is clearly visible. Common in everyday conversation but also can be used in more formal contexts. | Use 'obvious' to indicate something that doesn't need explanation. It's neutral and fits in various contexts, but avoid it in overly formal writing. | Used in everyday conversation to express surprise that something happened without being noticed. It's informal, so it might not be suited for formal writing or speech. |
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Frequently asked questions: In plain sight vs Obvious vs Under my very nose
What's the difference between In plain sight, Obvious, and Under my very nose?
In plain sight: Visible and easily seen Obvious: Easy to see or understand Under my very nose: Right in front of me, and I didn't notice.
Which is more common: In plain sight, Obvious, and Under my very nose?
Obvious is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
In plain sight: The treasure was hidden in plain sight, right under their noses. Obvious: It's obvious that she is very talented. Under my very nose: He stole my sandwich right under my very nose!
Can I use In plain sight, Obvious, and Under my very nose interchangeably?
Not always. In plain sight, Obvious, and Under my very nose are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.