: not easily discovered, seen, or understood : not obvious
nonobvious trends
a nonobvious solution
nonobviousness noun
In order to be patentable the improvement itself must meet all three requirements of novelty, utility, and nonobviousness. Earl W. Kintner and Jack L. Lahr

Examples of nonobvious 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.
In fact, adopting AI, especially with something as central to success as pricing, makes figuring out how to fit the old with the new both critically important and nonobvious. Mike Ryan, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022 This comes to resemble a branding exercise—perhaps a necessary one to sell a book these days—but the advice is good, and some of it nonobvious. Matthew Hutson, WSJ, 6 Dec. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonobvious was in 1888

Cite this Entry

“Nonobvious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonobvious. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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