blatant or flagrant?
Both words describe openly offensive behavior, but there is a difference. Blatant emphasizes the brazen conspicuousness of the offense, as in a blatant breach of good faith in the negotiations, whereas flagrant emphasizes the shocking seriousness or gravity that the offense has: flagrant racism. A blatant lie is one so bare-faced that no one can miss it, whereas flagrant disregard for human life is unforgivably shameless or outrageous. Avoid using blatant to mean merely "obvious": There seems to be a blatant contradiction.... In sentences like this, substitute obvious, clear, or glaring for blatant.
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