was not obvious

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was not obvious" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something was not clear or easily understood in a particular context. Example: "The solution to the problem was not obvious at first, but after further analysis, it became clear."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But that was not obvious.

The New York Times

Its mechanism was not obvious.

The Washington Post

The attraction was not obvious.

The Guardian

The winning defense was not obvious.

The New York Times - Arts

The reason for the increase was not obvious.

The New York Times

So it was not obvious what to do.

The New York Times

It was not obvious where it would end".

The New York Times

But he noted: "Ronald Reagan was not obvious.

The Guardian

A structure that was not obvious to read".

The Guardian - Business

It was not obvious this would be a good thing.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But at the time, it was not obvious".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was not obvious" when you want to emphasize that something required deeper thought or investigation to understand. It is suitable in both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "was not obvious" when a simpler term like "was unclear" suffices. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was not obvious" primarily functions as a statement indicating a lack of immediate clarity or understanding. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to express that something required deeper inspection or wasn't immediately apparent.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

37%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was not obvious" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to indicate that something wasn't immediately clear or easily understood. As Ludwig AI confirms, it effectively communicates the need for deeper analysis or investigation. While versatile, it's best used when a simpler term isn't sufficient to convey the complexity or hidden nature of the subject. The phrase appears across diverse contexts such as science, news, and academia, showing its broad applicability. Alternatives like "was not apparent" or "was not clear" can be used depending on the nuance you wish to convey. It is a valuable addition to any writer's toolkit, allowing for nuanced expression of understanding and discovery.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was not clear

Uses a more direct and simpler term, "clear", to express the lack of understanding.

was not apparent

Replaces "obvious" with "apparent", keeping the meaning of something not being immediately noticeable.

was not evident

Substitutes "obvious" with "evident", suggesting the lack of clear proof or indication.

was not immediately clear

Adds "immediately" to emphasize that the understanding didn't come at once.

was not readily apparent

Combines "readily" and "apparent" for a slightly more formal tone, indicating something wasn't easily seen.

remained unclear

Focuses on the continuing state of being not understood.

was not discernible

Replaces "obvious" with "discernible", suggesting something was not easily distinguished or recognized.

was not conspicuous

Employs "conspicuous" instead of "obvious", implying something wasn't easily noticeable due to its subtlety.

did not stand out

Uses a more idiomatic expression to indicate that something was not noticeable.

escaped notice

Indicates something wasn't observed or recognized.

FAQs

How can I use "was not obvious" in a sentence?

You can use "was not obvious" to indicate that something wasn't immediately clear or easily understood. For example, "The solution to the problem "was not obvious" at first, but after further analysis, it became clear."

What's the difference between "was not obvious" and "was not clear"?

"Was not obvious" suggests that something required more than a superficial look to understand, while "was not clear" simply means it wasn't easily understood, regardless of the effort required.

What can I say instead of ""was not obvious""?

You can use alternatives like "was not apparent", "was not evident", or "remained unclear" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "was not obvious" in writing?

It is appropriate to use "was not obvious" when you want to emphasize that something needed more than a quick glance to understand. It implies a degree of complexity or hidden nature that made the understanding non-immediate.