it is plainly obvious

USAGE SUMMARY

"it is plainly obvious" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to draw attention to facts that are easily noticeable. For example, "It is plainly obvious that this window needs to be replaced; it's cracked in several places."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Although Ukip's relationship with the media has never been rosy - the party often complains that it is being persecuted as unpleasant comments by its members are unearthed - it is plainly obvious that they are being taken much more seriously than they used to be.

The Guardian

It is plainly obvious that its technology needs to be fixed before it is parsed out to other companies and media corporations.

TechCrunch

They inserted the following text into the specific paragraph that addresses debt management: "Maintaining sustainable debt levels is the responsibility of the borrowing countries … " It is plainly obvious why this language is harmful and, given the situation in Greece, callous for the EU to even propose it.

The Guardian

"It is plainly obvious that aircraft and huge gas containers are a potentially lethal mix.

BBC

Many continue to debate what the etiology of our high healthcare expenditures is; however, it is plainly obvious to some that a boom in technology and a heightened practice of defensive medicine have no doubt contributed.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

This is not conspiracy theory — it's plainly obvious to anyone examining the situation.

The New York Times

Even after Trinity it was plainly obvious what would happen, tens of thousands of people would die.

BBC

It's plainly obvious that Facebook is growing fast in India and could quite possibly overtake Orkut in the next few months.

TechCrunch

But it's plainly obvious that LinkedIn users don't nearly use the status feature for mass communication as frequently as they use Twitter or Facebook for the same purpose.

TechCrunch

"This is in direct response to the changing drugs landscape, the continued rise in drug related deaths and the recognition that current services do not meet the needs of all the people who need support". Drug and alcohol charity Addaction said the deaths were "a terrible waste of life", saying it was "plainly obvious that the current system isn't working".

BBC

This same thin veneer of plausible deniability was used by Reagan, back in the 1980s -- even though it was plainly obvious what we were trying to accomplish.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it is plainly obvious" to introduce a point that requires no further explanation or justification due to its self-evident nature. This can strengthen your argument by establishing a shared understanding with your audience.

Common error

Avoid overusing "it is plainly obvious" in formal or academic writing. While effective for emphasis, excessive use can sound condescending or undermine the credibility of your argument. Opt for more nuanced phrasing in such contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it is plainly obvious" functions as an epistemic marker, signaling the speaker's or writer's confidence in the truth and self-evidence of a statement. As Ludwig AI points out, it draws attention to facts that are easily noticeable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it is plainly obvious" serves to highlight statements that are easily understood. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. While "it is plainly obvious" isn't particularly formal, and is more used in News & Media, Scientific and Encyclopedic contexts, it can be helpful in solidifying an argument. Remember to consider alternatives like "it is abundantly clear" or "it is crystal clear" for greater emphasis or "it is readily apparent" for academic writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is abundantly clear

Replaces "plainly obvious" with "abundantly clear", increasing the emphasis on the clarity of the matter.

it is crystal clear

Substitutes "plainly obvious" with "crystal clear", highlighting the lucidity and lack of ambiguity.

it is readily apparent

Uses "readily apparent" instead of "plainly obvious", making the statement sound slightly more formal.

it is clearly evident

Replaces "plainly obvious" with "clearly evident", providing a slightly more objective tone.

it is patently obvious

Uses "patently obvious" instead of "plainly obvious", conveying the idea that the matter is undeniably obvious.

it's as plain as day

Replaces "it is plainly obvious" with the idiom "it's as plain as day", making the statement more colloquial.

it is beyond question

Substitutes "plainly obvious" with "beyond question", emphasizing the certainty of the matter.

it's a no-brainer

Replaces "it is plainly obvious" with the idiom "it's a no-brainer", indicating that the matter requires little to no thought.

it's staring you in the face

Uses a more direct and informal tone, implying the obviousness is being overlooked.

the writing is on the wall

This idiom suggests an inevitable outcome that should be obvious, differing slightly from a simple observation.

FAQs

What does "it is plainly obvious" mean?

The phrase "it is plainly obvious" means something is very easy to see or understand. It suggests the point is so clear that it requires no further explanation.

What can I say instead of "it is plainly obvious"?

You can use alternatives like "it is abundantly clear", "it is crystal clear", or "it is readily apparent" depending on the context.

Is "it is plainly obvious" formal or informal?

"It is plainly obvious" is generally considered neutral but leans slightly toward informal. For more formal writing, consider phrases like "it is readily apparent" or "it is clearly evident".

How do you use "it is plainly obvious" in a sentence?

You can use "it is plainly obvious" to introduce a statement that you believe is self-evident. For example, "It is plainly obvious that the company needs to adapt to survive".