state the obvious

phrase

: to tell people things they already know
She accused me of stating the obvious.

Examples of state the obvious in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s no need to state the obvious, but being a superhero takes a lifelong toll. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026 To state the obvious, this year’s total is a vast improvement on last summer, and even beat the pre-pandemic 2019 season. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026 The infrastructure upgrades needed to properly handle all that will be massive and costly, to state the obvious. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026 The Skin Procedure Playbook Not to state the obvious, but your old skincare routine isn’t going to work during perimenopause. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for state the obvious

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Cite this Entry

“State the obvious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/state%20the%20obvious. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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