pronounced

pronounced — adjective

1. A quality or feature that is pronounced is very clear and strong, making it easy

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

A quality or feature that is pronounced is very clear and strong, making it easy to see, hear, or recognize because it stands out from the normal or expected level — for example, a pronounced limp after an injury, a pronounced improvement in grades, or a pronounced accent from someone's home region.

Example

After the accident, Benjamin walked with a pronounced limp for several months.

collocation: pronounced limp

Eliska showed a pronounced improvement in her writing after just two weeks of daily practice.

collocation: pronounced improvement

Common collocations
  • pronounced limp
  • pronounced accent
  • pronounced improvement
  • pronounced difference
  • pronounced contrast
  • pronounced effect
  • pronounced drop
  • pronounced increase
  • pronounced tendency
  • more pronounced
  • less pronounced
  • so pronounced that
  • become more pronounced
Synonyms
  • noticeable

    softer in strength; something can be slightly noticeable, while pronounced implies a clear, strong degree

  • marked

    very similar in strength; 'marked' is more common in formal or academic writing

  • distinct

    emphasizes that something is clearly separate and easy to perceive, not necessarily strong in degree

  • striking

    more dramatic — something that immediately catches the eye or attention

Antonyms
  • subtle

    not obvious or easily noticed; the opposite of standing out

  • faint

    weak in degree, often used for physical signs or sounds

Usage Note

Do not confuse this adjective (pronounced /prəˈnaʊnst/) with the verb 'pronounce' (/prəˈnaʊns/), which means to say a word or sound in a particular way. The adjective describes how strong or obvious something is, not how it is spoken. Frequently used in comparative forms: 'more pronounced', 'less pronounced', 'most pronounced'.

Common Mistakes

She pronounced a limp after the injury.
She walked with a pronounced limp after the injury.
'pronounced' here is an adjective describing the limp; 'pronounce' as a verb means to say words aloud.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something that is easily perceived, but they differ in strength and connotation. 'Noticeable' is the most neutral and broadest — something can be slightly or strongly noticeable. 'Pronounced' and 'marked' are stronger and very close in meaning; 'pronounced' often describes physical traits (accent, limp, feature) while 'marked' is more common in abstract or formal contexts (a marked improvement, a marked difference). 'Distinct' emphasizes clarity and separateness — a distinct smell is clearly different from other smells, not just strong. 'Striking' is the most dramatic, suggesting that something catches immediate attention through surprise or vividness. For example: 'There was a noticeable change in her mood' (anyone could see it); 'There was a pronounced limp in his walk' (strong and obvious); 'There was a striking contrast between the two paintings' (immediately impressive and unexpected).

pronounced ↗marked ↗noticeable ↗distinct ↗striking ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • strongly pronounced
  • clearly pronounced
  • more pronounced
  • less pronounced
  • most pronounced
  • increasingly pronounced
  • especially pronounced

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The adjective 'pronounced' comes from the past participle of the verb 'pronounce', which entered English from Old French 'prononcier' (to declare, speak aloud), tracing back to Latin 'pronuntiare' (to proclaim, announce, declare). The Latin word breaks down as 'pro-' (forth, forward, out) plus 'nuntiare' (to announce, report). The adjective sense developed in the 16th–17th centuries, shifting from 'clearly declared in words' to 'clearly marked or strongly noticeable in general' — so a pronounced feature is one that, metaphorically, 'declares itself' unmistakably.