prominent

adjective

prom·​i·​nent ˈprä-mə-nənt How to pronounce prominent (audio)
ˈpräm-nənt
1
: standing out or projecting beyond a surface or line : protuberant
2
a
: readily noticeable : conspicuous
b
: widely and popularly known : leading
prominently adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for prominent

noticeable, remarkable, prominent, outstanding, conspicuous, salient, striking mean attracting notice or attention.

noticeable applies to something unlikely to escape observation.

a piano recital with no noticeable errors

remarkable applies to something so extraordinary or exceptional as to invite comment.

a film of remarkable intelligence and wit

prominent applies to something commanding notice by standing out from its surroundings or background.

a doctor who occupies a prominent position in the town

outstanding applies to something that rises above and excels others of the same kind.

honored for her outstanding contributions to science

conspicuous applies to something that is obvious and unavoidable to the sight or mind.

conspicuous bureaucratic waste

salient applies to something of significance that merits the attention given it.

the salient points of the speech

striking applies to something that impresses itself powerfully and deeply upon the observer's mind or vision.

the region's striking poverty

Examples of prominent in a Sentence

… and a small precise mouth he kept pursed over teeth a shade too prominent and yellow. John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994
When the easy way out seemed to be for a number of prominent men to support a petition to get Davis a pardon, which, if granted, would get the President and others off the hook, Davis was determined to let them hang there. Robert Penn Warren, Jefferson Davis Gets His Citizenship Back, 1980
His eyes, which tended to bulge when he was exercised, were not quite prominent. E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, 1974
I don't mind his calling me raw. He is reckoned raw himself and at the same time perhaps the most prominent of the younger poets here. Robert Frost, letter, c. 16 June 1913
He quickly became prominent in the music industry. He placed the award in a prominent position on his desk. He has a prominent nose. the most prominent peak in the mountain range
Recent Examples on the Web Gallego, the only prominent Democrat running in the race for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s seat, urged Hamas to accept the ceasefire that Vice President Kamala Harris outlined Sunday to help bring about the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 On Monday, Benny Gantz, a key member of Israel’s war cabinet and one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s most prominent political rivals, was in Washington, DC, holding meetings with high-level US officials that will include Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Helen Regan, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 The last two prominent Republicans who ran for governor and senator in California — Meg Whitman (no longer a member of the GOP) and Carly Fiorina — had sprawling campaigns, at times approaching presidential-level operations. Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Housing First has been frequently criticized by other prominent conservatives around the region. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2024 His involvement began with a birthday call to his father, prominent attorney Harry Franke My story started on his birthday — October 13, 1981. Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024 There were a few moments of realization along the way, but the most prominent came at my first internship a few weeks after switching into the Viticulture and Enology program at UC Davis. Noël Burgess, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Despite the mass of followers and the heavy presence of riot police, there were no major protests or clashes as Russia’s most prominent dissident was laid to rest. Francesca ebel, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 While the world’s most prominent digital currency has recovered significantly since then, investors who purchased bitcoin shortly before this pinnacle have still not recouped their losses. Charles Lloyd Bovaird Ii, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prominent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English promynent, borrowed from Latin prōminent-, prōminens "projecting, standing out," from present participle of prōminēre "to project beyond a surface, stick out, stick up," from prō- pro- entry 2 + -minēre, taken to mean "stand out, rise above" (unattested without a prefix) — more at minatory

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prominent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near prominent

Cite this Entry

“Prominent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prominent. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prominent

adjective
prom·​i·​nent ˈpräm(-ə)-nənt How to pronounce prominent (audio)
1
: sticking out beyond a surface or line
2
: easily noticeable
the prominent sound was the drumbeat
3
: distinguished, eminent
our most prominent citizens
prominently adverb

Medical Definition

prominent

adjective
prom·​i·​nent ˈpräm-(ə-)nənt How to pronounce prominent (audio)
: standing out or projecting beyond a surface

More from Merriam-Webster on prominent

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