The word inconspicuous has appeared in 26 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on June 7 in the guest essay “What Owls’ Silent Flight Tells Us About the World” by Jennifer Ackerman:
Owls may be easy to recognize, but they’re not easy to spot. In the day, they often hide right under our noses, camouflaged against the bark of trees or tucked into tree hollows, and in the night, sail off into the darkness. “Finding owls is hard,” said David Lindo, a bird guide known as the Urban Birder. “It’s often a question of diligence. You’ve got to commit yourself to it. You’ve got to try and work out where they are and then religiously search the trees.” If you’re quiet, still and patient, like owls themselves, then you may have the privilege of seeing one.
Owls are hard to observe for some of the same reasons we love them. With their inconspicuous presence and almost soundless flight, they point to the value of not standing out in the world but fitting into it.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word inconspicuous in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
If you want a better idea of how inconspicuous can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. You can also visit this guide to learn how to use IPA symbols to show how different words are pronounced.
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The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.
