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 The studio played host to a series of illuminating interviews featuring prominent figures in the global film industry including European filmmaker Cristiano Bortone, producer and co-founder of boutique studio S11 Partners Ltd. Caroline Brew, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 This discourse has been propelled into the mainstream by prominent figures such as Bill Ackman, Elon Musk, and Mark Cuban, whose exchanges on X often veer into terse debates on the topic. Kylie Robison, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 While Navalny, who had been sentenced to more than 30 years in prison, would not have been able to challenge Putin, his death cast a shadow over the elections and rid Russia of its most prominent opposition figure. Christian Edwards, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024 Exactly one month after the suspicious death of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in a penal colony, the country gears up for its presidential election. USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 The last takeover of a social media company by a prominent individual was Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, now renamed X. From the standpoint of users or anyone interested in a civil, reliable, safe public space, that deal has been disastrous. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and a prominent far-right, pro-settler voice, said Thursday that the Israeli government would fight any sanctions. Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Alejandro Rojas is a prominent figure in UFO research and advocacy. The Arizona Republic, 13 Mar. 2024 The actor who starred as Jason Lee Scott, the original Red Ranger, in the hit ‘90s series Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers sparked considerable outrage online after announcing a merch line featuring quotes from prominent historical figures — including Adolf Hitler. Shania Russell, EW.com, 12 Mar. 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 28 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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