plainly clear that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "plainly clear that" is somewhat redundant but can be used in written English.
It can be used when emphasizing that something is obvious or easily understood. Example: "It is plainly clear that the project deadline is approaching quickly."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"And more importantly what he was saying was that it's plainly clear that if they built a hub in the Thames Estuary you would have to close Heathrow.

BBC

It's too early to talk about main findings yet, but it's plainly clear that there hasn't been any authoritative list of who works on development and has a charity in this country.

Huffington Post

Indeed, it has become plainly clear that we can no longer neglect the security, public policy, legal, ethical, and social implications of the rapidly emerging technological tools we are developing.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

"We are well used to politicians seeking to wriggle out of things that are plainly clear – it's something that, frankly, we all get engaged in from time to time," said Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland.

The Guardian

It was also plainly clear to me that, if I a 20-year-old with an ugly mug was able to get a pizza off Tinder, then a hot blonde girl certainly could.

Vice

Yet for all literature's interest in law as a subject, the connections between literature and law, or among novelists and lawyers and judges, for that matter, are not immediately and plainly clear.

The New York Times - Books

A local historian I'd spoken to, Dixie Hibbs, told me that Maker's has always invested in image, and this is plainly clear.

The New York Times - Travel

The crowd was on its toes and made its views plainly clear.

The Economist

The difference from the this year's conference and last year's was plainly clear.

The New York Times

Do we want a lawyer to publicly offer alternative hypotheses of what truly occurred, when guilt is so plainly clear?

Huffington Post

"He was plainly intelligent and it is clear that he has brought - and will in the future bring - to his academic studies the same dedication and commitment that he formerly applied to football".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "plainly clear that" is understandable, consider using stronger, less redundant alternatives like "obviously", "clearly", or "evidently" for more concise writing.

Common error

Avoid stacking adverbs and adjectives unnecessarily. Instead of saying "plainly clear that", choose a single word that conveys the intended meaning with precision and impact. For example use words like "obviously" or "certainly"

Linguistic Context

The phrase "plainly clear that" functions as a conjunction introducing a clause that states an obvious or easily understood fact. Ludwig indicates that while the phrase is understandable, it suggests to use stronger, less redundant alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "plainly clear that" is used to emphasize the obviousness of a statement. However, Ludwig suggests it is somewhat redundant and that stronger, less verbose alternatives like "obviously", "clearly", or "evidently" are generally preferred. This phrase is most frequently found in News & Media contexts. While grammatically acceptable, refining your writing by choosing more concise options will improve clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

patently obvious that

Replaces "plainly clear" with "patently obvious", intensifying the sense of obviousness.

evidently clear that

Substitutes "plainly" with "evidently", indicating clarity based on available evidence.

unmistakably clear that

Replaces "plainly" with "unmistakably", emphasizing the lack of ambiguity.

blindingly obvious that

Uses "blindingly obvious" to suggest something is extremely hard to miss or ignore.

readily apparent that

Indicates something is easily seen or understood with minimal effort.

unquestionably clear that

Emphasizes that there is no doubt or dispute about the clarity of something.

manifestly evident that

Replaces both words with synonyms to convey the same meaning in a more formal tone.

unambiguously clear that

Focuses on the lack of any possible misinterpretation.

crystal clear that

Uses a common idiom to express perfect clarity.

distinctly obvious that

Highlights the clear and noticeable nature of something.

FAQs

Is "plainly clear that" redundant?

Yes, "plainly clear that" can be considered somewhat redundant because both words convey a similar meaning. Using just "plainly" or "clearly" often suffices.

What are some alternatives to "plainly clear that"?

You can use alternatives such as "obviously", "evidently", or "patently" to express the same idea with fewer words.

How can I use "plainly clear that" effectively in a sentence?

While acceptable, it's better to use it sparingly, when you really need to emphasize the obviousness of something. Otherwise, opt for more concise wording like "It is "clear that"" or "It is "plain that"".

Which is better, "plainly clear that" or "obviously clear that"?

Both are redundant, but "obviously clear that" might sound slightly more natural to some. However, it's generally better to choose one word like "obviously" to make your writing more concise.