First Known Use: 1597
Dictionary
obnoxious
adjective ob·nox·ious \äb-ˈnäk-shəs, əb-\
: unpleasant in a way that makes people feel offended, annoyed, or disgusted
Full Definition of OBNOXIOUS
1
archaic : exposed to something unpleasant or harmful —used with to
2
archaic : deserving of censure
3
: odiously or disgustingly objectionable : highly offensive
— ob·nox·ious·ly adverb
— ob·nox·ious·ness noun
See obnoxious defined for English-language learners
See obnoxious defined for kids
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Examples of OBNOXIOUS
- Let's get right into it. The title of your book, Why We Suck, is pretty obnoxious. Are we really that bad? —Rachel Deahl, Boston Globe, 30 Nov. 2008
- “Not to sound obnoxious, but this downturn could be good for us,” says Max Levchin, founder and CEO of Slide, in San Francisco. “Some of our competitors are going to go out of business.” —Daniel Lyons, Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2008
- Now that many large cities are surrounded by Stygian fields of concrete tedium, urban sprawl looks like an obnoxious side effect of prosperity and decline. —Graham Robb, The Discovery of France, 2007
- The teller's eyes widened as a customer poured thousands of pennies onto the counter, an intentionally obnoxious way to pay a high heating bill. —Erik Eckholm, New York Times, 26 June 2006
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Origin of OBNOXIOUS
Latin obnoxius, from ob in the way of, exposed to + noxa harm — more at noxious
Related to OBNOXIOUS
- Synonyms
- abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, distasteful, dreadful, evil, foul, fulsome, gross, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious, offensive, obscene, odious, rancid, repellent (also repellant), repugnant, repulsive, revolting, scandalous, shocking, sickening, ugly
- Antonyms
- innocuous, inoffensive
OBNOXIOUS Defined for Kids
obnoxious
adjective ob·nox·ious \äb-ˈnäk-shəs, əb-\
Definition of OBNOXIOUS for Kids
: very disagreeable : hateful <Judd had heard the obnoxious whine of the motorcycle every day. — Margo Sorenson, Firewatch>
— ob·nox·ious·ly adverb
Learn More About OBNOXIOUS
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