When something is pronounced, it's very noticeable or clearly evident. If you have a pronounced limp after twisting your ankle in soccer practice, everyone can see you're favoring one leg. A pronounced accent means someone's way of speaking clearly shows where they're from.

The word suggests something stands out strongly enough that people can't miss it. A student might show pronounced improvement in math after working with a tutor, meaning the change is obvious to everyone, not subtle. A detective might notice a pronounced difference between two handwriting samples.

Pronounced often describes qualities, characteristics, or changes that are distinct and unmistakable. When scientists observe a pronounced effect in an experiment, they mean the results are clear and significant, not borderline or uncertain. The word helps us distinguish between things that are barely there and things that really make themselves known.