reasonably obvious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reasonably obvious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is clear or apparent to a reasonable degree, often in discussions or analyses. Example: "The solution to the problem was reasonably obvious once we reviewed the data."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Four can be found within the enterprise itself, or at least within the industry of which it forms part, and should therefore be reasonably obvious to insiders.

The Economist

"I thought the author took a lot of cheap shots at the US based round the reasonably obvious device of a school shooting.

The Guardian - Books

"The themes were reasonably obvious and once we heard that Tate Liverpool was already mounting a big Jackson Pollock show, we wanted to create a big American vintage event that would celebrate the beatniks and the music of the 1950s".

The Guardian

One good reason to re-read the first volumes of In Search of Lost Time is the new translation by Lydia Davis, blemished only by the irritating academic tic of putting numbers to references reasonably obvious to Proust readers, like Tristan and Isolde (6).

The Guardian - Books

If it becomes reasonably obvious that a government has decided to hold on to power against the wishes of most of the people it governs, and is not going to change its mind, it should not think that its denial of the democratic principle will be allowed to go unchallenged.This is what has just happened to Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic.

The Economist

In his post, Gillmor detailed the many ways that "journalists were grossly deficient when it came to covering the reckless behavior, sleaze and willful ignorance of fundamental economics, much of which was reasonably obvious to anyone who was paying attention, that inflated the housing and credit bubbles of the past decade".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

The filled images appear reasonably spatially continuous without obvious striping patterns.

Remote Sensing of Environment

The field of migration and ethnic diversity might reasonably be considered an obvious domain for such cross-national comparative research.

BMC Public Health

For obvious reasons of cost and convenience to the patient, facial fillers should have a reasonably long-lasting persistence of effect.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology

Liberty and equality have reasonably clear meanings and yield obvious policies, such as tax cuts and redistribution respectively.

The Economist

So we come to another point that should be obvious: we cannot reasonably expect police to do the dirty work of twenty-first century segregation without also expecting them to commit routine acts of violence against minorities.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "reasonably obvious" to describe conclusions or facts that are straightforward but require a degree of analysis or understanding. This suggests that while not immediately apparent to everyone, the concept is easily grasped with minimal effort or expertise.

Common error

Avoid using "reasonably obvious" when describing something that is already universally known or self-evident. This can come across as condescending or redundant. Instead, reserve the phrase for situations where some level of interpretation or background knowledge is required to grasp the concept.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reasonably obvious" primarily functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun. It describes the degree to which something is apparent or easily understood. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is considered correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "reasonably obvious" functions as an adjective phrase indicating something that is clear but requires some degree of analysis or understanding. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, and while it's not exceedingly common, it appears across diverse sources such as news, science, and online wikis. It's crucial to employ this phrase judiciously, reserving it for situations where the information is not immediately self-evident, thereby avoiding redundancy. Alternatives like "fairly evident" or "quite apparent" offer similar meanings, allowing for subtle variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fairly evident

This alternative suggests something is apparent with a slightly lesser degree of obviousness.

quite apparent

Using "quite" implies a slightly stronger degree of being noticed or understood.

plainly apparent

"Plainly" emphasizes clarity and ease of understanding.

readily understandable

This emphasizes the ease with which something can be understood.

easily discernible

Focuses on the ability to distinguish or recognize something without much effort.

noticeably clear

Highlights the clarity of something that is easy to notice.

moderately conspicuous

This suggests something stands out to a moderate degree.

somewhat transparent

Implies that something is easy to see through or understand.

fairly transparent

This implies a clear understanding, similar to 'somewhat transparent' but slightly stronger.

pretty clear

An informal way to express that something is easy to understand.

FAQs

How can I use "reasonably obvious" in a sentence?

You can use "reasonably obvious" to describe something that is clear or apparent to a reasonable degree. For example: "The solution to the problem was "reasonably obvious" once we reviewed the data."

What are some alternatives to "reasonably obvious"?

Alternatives include "fairly evident", "quite apparent", or "plainly apparent", depending on the context and the degree of emphasis you want to convey.

Is "reasonably obvious" a formal or informal phrase?

"Reasonably obvious" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly formal or academic writing, you might consider using alternatives like "readily understandable" for a more professional tone.

What does "reasonably obvious" imply about the audience's understanding?

Using "reasonably obvious" suggests that the information is not immediately apparent to everyone but should be easily understood with a bit of thought or context. It implies a degree of accessibility without being overly simplistic.