Definition
Visible means able to be seen — present to the eye, or by extension plain and noticeable. From the Latin videre, 'to see,' it marks the line between what is hidden and what light and attention reach. A star is visible once the sky darkens; a change is visible once its effects show. The word also carries a social sense — a visible minority, a highly visible campaign — something that cannot be overlooked. What is visible is not always important, but it is, at least, no longer concealed.
Examples
- The mountains were barely visible through the morning haze.
- The damage was plainly visible to anyone willing to scrutinize the report.
- A visible scar can linger long after the wound itself has healed.
Collocations
clearly visible·barely visible·visible to the naked eye·a visible improvement·visible signs of
Synonyms
noticeable·apparent·observable·conspicuous·evident
Antonyms
invisible·hidden·obscure
Word family
visibly (adverb)·visibility (noun)·vision (noun)
In TOEFL & IELTS
Useful for description and for reporting data in IELTS Task 1 ('a visible upward trend'). Mind the collocations: clearly / barely / highly visible. The noun visibility appears in academic and environmental texts ('poor visibility'). Don't overuse 'visible' for 'obvious' — when you mean it stands out, conspicuous or prominent may fit better.