outwardly clear

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "outwardly clear" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is easily understood or apparent from an external perspective. Example: "The instructions were outwardly clear, making it easy for everyone to follow along."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Most clothing items companies give out to their employees make it outwardly clear where the person works (exhibit A).

TechCrunch

However, in the presence of a hidden inheritance mechanism, an inherited asset may be concealed or its proper function may not be outwardly clear, even after its inheritance by the child object.

Information Sciences

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

She found plenty of pools of scummy water containing larvae, and by comparing them with mosquito larvae from up top was able – with her University of London supervisor Richard Nicholas – to establish that although outwardly similar, there were clear genetic and behavioural differences between the two varieties.

BBC

Glass bombards his line of vision with updates, while outwardly it sends a clear message to anyone he passes that they just aren't that interesting to him.

Vice

While he is largely staying clear of the news media, outwardly, at least, Jeb Bush is trying mightily to survive the presidential morass.

The New York Times

In an increasingly conservative environment, the message from MUI is clear: If you do not outwardly condemn the country's LGBTQI community, you are a bad Muslim, and a bad Indonesian.

Vice

But with his outwardly decaying dialogue on women's issues, it is clear that Trump just doesn't care.

Huffington Post

Friday is National Vodka Day, so it's fitting that you spend the weekend imbibing the clear spirit that many secretly love but outwardly feign disdain for.

Los Angeles Times

It was clear to me, and a lot of his followers, once he abandoned his outwardly gay and outwardly feminine demeanor, he went into the church.

Vice

Outwardly, he seems the Obama of the election campaign: unflustered, projecting clear thought processes and inner calm.

Independent

It was clean, delicate, highly arranged and not outwardly virtuosic.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "outwardly clear" when you want to emphasize that something is easily noticeable or understood from an external perspective, even if the underlying reality might be different.

Common error

Avoid using "outwardly clear" when you mean something is inherently or fundamentally clear. "Outwardly clear" implies an appearance, while internal clarity suggests a deeper understanding or truth.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "outwardly clear" functions as an adverb-adjective combination. It modifies a noun by describing a quality that is apparent or easily perceived from an external viewpoint. Ludwig AI examples show it describing how something appears or is understood on the surface.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "outwardly clear" is a grammatically correct adverb-adjective combination used to describe something easily perceived from an external perspective. Ludwig AI indicates that its usage, while infrequent, is primarily found in News & Media and Science contexts. It conveys that something is noticeable or understandable on the surface. Alternatives include "readily apparent" and "clearly visible". When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with your intention to highlight an apparent, rather than inherent, quality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

clearly visible

Simple rephrasing, substituting 'outwardly' with 'clearly' maintains a high level of interchangeability.

readily apparent

Highlights the speed and ease with which something becomes clear.

visibly evident

Replaces 'clear' with 'evident' and 'outwardly' with 'visibly', emphasizing visual perception.

plainly visible

Switches to 'plainly' and 'visible' to convey simplicity and ease of sight.

patently obvious

Conveys that something is undeniably and unmistakably obvious.

apparently obvious

Changes the phrasing to highlight the 'apparent' nature of the obviousness.

easily discernible

Emphasizes the ease with which something can be distinguished or recognized.

superficially apparent

Focuses on the superficial aspect of the appearance, meaning it's evident on the surface.

on the surface, obvious

Adds a prepositional phrase to specify the level of clarity, meaning it's apparent at first glance.

ostensibly obvious

Uses 'ostensibly' to suggest a surface-level obviousness that might not be entirely true.

FAQs

How can I use "outwardly clear" in a sentence?

You can use "outwardly clear" to describe something that is easily understood or visible from an external perspective. For example, "The instructions were "outwardly clear", making it easy for everyone to follow along."

What are some alternatives to "outwardly clear"?

Alternatives to "outwardly clear" include "readily apparent", "clearly visible", or "plainly obvious", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "outwardly clear" the same as "obviously clear"?

"Outwardly clear" emphasizes that something is apparent from an external viewpoint or observation, while "obviously clear" simply emphasizes that something is very easy to understand. The subtle difference lies in the perspective.

When should I use "outwardly clear" instead of "evidently clear"?

Use "outwardly clear" when you want to focus on how something appears or is perceived on the surface. Use "evidently clear" when you want to emphasize that something is clear based on evidence or proof. The choice depends on whether you are highlighting appearance versus evidence.