unobtrusive

[ uhn-uhb-troo-siv ]

/ ˌʌn əbˈtru sɪv /

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adjective

not obtrusive; inconspicuous, unassertive, or reticent.

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Origin of unobtrusive

First recorded in 1735–45; un-¹ + obtrusive

OTHER WORDS FROM unobtrusive

un·ob·tru·sive·ly, adverbun·ob·tru·sive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use unobtrusive in a sentence

So in our thinking, the idea really is how do we provide a continuous style monitoring of patients in a relatively unobtrusive way that will allow us to detect a change in a patient status before they end up actually coming into hospital.
Toronto’s UHN launches a study to see if Apple Watch can spot worsening heart failure|Darrell Etherington|February 19, 2021|TechCrunch
The Helix, the big duck of the development, is the sign, while the decorated sheds around it are meant to sink into the background as unobtrusive good neighbors.
The Helix is a distraction. Amazon’s new headquarters will change more than just its Arlington neighborhood.|Philip Kennicott|February 18, 2021|Washington Post
These can be really thin and unobtrusive, and the best don’t interfere with functionality, just protect against scratches, scrapes, and damage.
Best fitness tracker: Hit your health goals and sleep better with these picks|PopSci Commerce Team|January 27, 2021|Popular-Science
As someone who finds the slightest irritants a major hurdle to falling asleep, I was pleasantly surprised by how unobtrusive the buds are.
Bose’s latest sleep-centric earbuds mostly do the trick|Brian Heater|December 31, 2020|TechCrunch

Some models place extra emphasis on added safety features or screen functionality, but many with these extra features struggle to maintain an unobtrusive form factor.
Best dash cams: Car accessories to keep you safe on the road|PopSci Commerce Team|December 11, 2020|Popular-Science
Selecting a huge black snake, who bore unobtrusively my safety mark, I pounced down upon him and presented my bare arm.
The Adventures of Louis de Rougemont|Louis de Rougemont
The next instant the two men and the housekeeper had unobtrusively retired, and he was alone with his objective.
The Regent|E. Arnold Bennett
(To Mrs. Clandon, in an unobtrusively confidential tone) Gentleman for you, ma'am.
You Never Can Tell|George Bernard Shaw
Charles plays a deep game in the affairs of Europe, though he works ever silently and unobtrusively.
Under the Rose|Frederic Stewart Isham
Then he showed himself in the crowd of "peelers" and their friends, as unconcernedly as he might; and as unobtrusively.
The Happy Family|Bertha Muzzy Bower

British Dictionary definitions for unobtrusive

unobtrusive

/ (ˌʌnəbˈtruːsɪv) /

adjective

not noticeable or conspicuous

Derived forms of unobtrusive

unobtrusively, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

unobtrusive

Origin of unobtrusive

OTHER WORDS FROM unobtrusive

Words related to unobtrusive

How to use unobtrusive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for unobtrusive

Derived forms of unobtrusive