adv

patently

PAY-tuhnt-lee

adv

Clearly and obviously.

"His excuse was patently false."

"It is patently unfair to punish everyone for one person's mistake."

How to Use Patently

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishUsed to stress that something is completely obvious, often before a negative word like "false" or "unfair."

Common pairings

patently obvious patently false patently unfair

more patently comparative, most patently superlative

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His excuse was _____ false.

From "patent" (in the "obvious" sense) plus the adverb suffix "-ly."

gently recently fluently urgently silently intently decently currently fervently patiently evidently presently