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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Dolphins filled one of two prominent openings on their coaching staff on Friday, hiring Robert Prince as receivers coach. Prince, whose hiring was initially reported by NFL Network and confirmed by a league source, replaces Wes Welker, who was not retained. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 Jan. 2025 Bass, who was seated in a prominent position next to First Lady Melania Trump during the fire station briefing, thanked Trump for arriving in the city so soon after his inauguration and countered his claim that the city would slow-walk rebuilding efforts. Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025 Elon Musk appears to go out of his way to antagonize prominent MAGA figures, but experts suggest this could be beneficial for the movement in the long term as the tech billionaire seeks to impact President Donald Trump's second term. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025 Peacock was already a prominent player for Comcast in recent years with exclusive NFL playoff games and the Olympics, including a record $1.96 billion in incremental revenue from the Summer Games in Paris. Jason Clinkscales, Sportico.com, 24 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for prominent 

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 30 Jan. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!