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Prepositions after adjectives

Obvious to, obvious from, or obvious in

Different prepositions after obvious express who understands something, what evidence shows it, or where it appears.

Quick answer

Choose the preposition by meaning

Use obvious to for the person who can understand or notice something. Use obvious from for evidence or source. Use obvious in for the place, behaviour, or text where something is clearly seen.

The answer was obvious to everyone.
It was obvious from her expression that she disagreed.
The tension was obvious in his voice.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
obvious to + person

Who can clearly understand something

Use to with the person or group that notices or understands.

The mistake was obvious to the editor.
The risk should be obvious to investors.
2
obvious from + evidence

What evidence reveals

Use from with signs, behaviour, data, or other evidence.

It became obvious from the report that costs had risen.
Her disappointment was obvious from her tone.
3
obvious in + place/behaviour

Where something is clearly visible

Use in for speech, writing, behaviour, or environments where something appears.

His confidence was obvious in the interview.
The influence is obvious in her paintings.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
obvious to
The solution was obvious to the team.
Names who understands or notices something.
obvious from
It was obvious from the data that sales had fallen.
Names the evidence or source of the conclusion.
obvious in
Her frustration was obvious in her emails.
Shows where something is visible or expressed.
obvious about
He was obvious about his intentions.
Different meaning: open or clear in behaviour, not the standard pattern here.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using to for evidence

To names the observer, not the evidence.

✕ It was obvious to the report that profits fell. ✓ It was obvious from the report that profits fell.

Using from for a person

From introduces evidence, not the observer.

✕ The answer was obvious from the students. ✓ The answer was obvious to the students.

Confusing in with to

In shows where something appears; to shows who notices it.

✕ Her anger was obvious to her voice. ✓ Her anger was obvious in her voice.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The problem was obvious ___ the engineers.
2. It was obvious ___ the survey that customers were unhappy.
3. His nervousness was obvious ___ his speech.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between obvious to and obvious from?

Obvious to refers to the observer. Obvious from refers to the evidence.

Can obvious in be correct?

Yes. It is used for places, behaviour, writing, and other contexts where something appears clearly.

Is obvious about the same meaning?

No. Obvious about can mean openly showing something, which is a different structure and meaning.

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