visibly

Everyday

Visibly means in a way that can be seen or noticed easily: «she was visibly upset». tree →

In the lessons

In stories «visibly» tells the reader that a feeling shows on a character's face or body: «visibly nervous», «visibly relieved», «visibly shaking». In science, «the plant had visibly grown» means you could see the change without measuring, though scientists still measure to be sure. Phrases: «visibly upset», «visibly shaken», «visibly tired», «visibly improved».

Examples

• She was visibly upset after the argument. tree →
• He was visibly nervous before his speech. tree →
• The seedlings have visibly grown this week. tree →
• The dog was visibly happy to see us. tree →
• The old man was visibly tired. tree →
• Her reading has visibly improved. tree →
• The ice cube was visibly smaller after ten minutes. tree →

Note

From «visible» (drop e, add -y): visibly. Opposite: invisibly. Related: vision, visible, visit — all about seeing.