Perspicuous

Expressed with enough clarity and order to be understood easily.

Reach for it when praising an explanation or style that makes a difficult subject plain

The engineer's perspicuous account let residents compare the two flood plans.

• everyday

  clear

  when easy understanding is the straightforward point

  not when Clear is the broad default and can describe visibility as well as language.

• everyday

  plain

  if direct, familiar wording removes needless complexity

  not when Plain can imply simplicity of style rather than logical precision.

• warm

  well explained

  when accessible language should credit the act of explanation

  not when Well explained is natural but applies to one explanation rather than a whole style.

• professional

  intelligible

  when the threshold is whether the audience can make sense of it

  not when Intelligible may mean barely understandable, a weaker compliment.

• formal

  lucid

  for an explanation whose reasoning remains transparent throughout

  not when Lucid often suggests difficult material and is more elevated than necessary.

• literary

  pellucid

  for exceptionally transparent prose in an elevated register

  not when Pellucid is rare and can distract readers from the clarity being praised.

• obscure
• confusing
• incomprehensible

• perspicuous style

  A perspicuous style made the legal guide useful beyond the profession.

• perspicuous explanation

  The diagram supported a perspicuous explanation of the valve sequence.

• perspicuous account

  Her perspicuous account identified both the decision and its evidence.