obtrusive
Americanadjective
-
having or showing a disposition to obtrude, as by imposing oneself or one's opinions on others.
- Synonyms:
- presumptuous, officious, meddlesome
-
(of a thing) obtruding itself.
an obtrusive error.
- Synonyms:
- blatant
-
protruding; projecting.
adjective
-
obtruding or tending to obtrude
-
sticking out; protruding; noticeable
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of obtrusive
Explanation
The eight-foot-tall, hot pink statue of Minnie Mouse did not belong among the beige couches of the fancy living room. The statue was obtrusive, meaning it stood out in a bad way. Something that obtrudes sticks out, like a sore thumb. Wearing a snow suit and skis to your neighbor's pool party, or bringing steak tartare to a vegan potluck — these are examples of obtrusive behavior, which draws attention to you and makes you stick out, but not in a good way.
Vocabulary lists containing obtrusive
100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
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"The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allan Poe
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Where Wolves Don't Die
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rings are certainly less obtrusive than a smartwatch, many of which are pretty darn clunky.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
It’s playful but never too obtrusive, approaching an idea of how art and movies play with time and can conjure their own reality.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025
"There's an opportunity for less obtrusive methods of saving water to be more important than we originally thought," said lead author Anna Boser, a doctoral student at UCSB's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 25, 2024
Choose some pieces with lighter legs and silhouettes that are less obtrusive.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 14, 2024
Her rooms were so silent that the music seemed obtrusive.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
