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blatant
/ˈbleɪtənt/
very obvious and offensive
The company's blatant disregard for safety regulations led to the accident.
The company showed extreme and offensive carelessness toward safety rules, causing the accident.
formal
Done openly and unashamedly, often offensively or brazenly
It was a blatant violation of the rules.
The rules were broken openly and without shame.
She told a blatant lie to cover up her mistake.
She lied openly and shamelessly to hide her error.
Often implies a lack of subtlety or attempt to hide the action, making it more offensive or shocking.
neutral
Completely lacking in subtlety; very obvious
The error in the report was blatant.
The mistake in the report was extremely obvious and hard to miss.
Can describe mistakes, flaws, or actions that are impossible to overlook.
Collocations
blatant liea lie told openly without shameblatant disregardcomplete and offensive lack of considerationblatant erroran obvious and serious mistake
Pro Tip
Avoid overusing 'blatant'
Reserve 'blatant' for situations where the action is not only obvious but also offensive or shameless. Overuse can dilute its impact.
Gold Rule
Use 'blatant' for actions, not traits
'Blatant' describes actions or behaviors, not inherent qualities. For example, say 'a blatant lie' (action) rather than 'a blatant person' (trait).
Word Origin
First recorded in the early 16th century; from Latin *blatant-*, present participle of *blatire* ('to babble'), possibly imitative of a loud, noisy sound. Originally used to describe a mythical monster that roared continuously; later extended to mean 'loud' or 'obvious.'
Usage Notes
Blatant carries a strong negative connotation, suggesting not just obviousness but also a lack of shame or attempt to conceal the action. It is often used to criticize behavior that is openly unfair, dishonest, or offensive.
Word Breakdown
blat-
possibly imitative of loud noise
root-ant
adjective-forming suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary