English Explanatory Dictionary

obnoxious

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Extremely offensive or unpleasant; very annoying, contemptible, or odious.
  2. Unjustly disagreeable, argumentative or objectionable; brazenly rude.
  3. Exposed or vulnerable to something, especially harm or injury.
  4. Causing harm or injury; harmful, hurtful, injurious.
  5. Deserving of blame or punishment; blameworthy, guilty.
  6. Under the authority or power of someone; subject, subordinate; hence, deferential, submissive, subservient.
  7. Followed by to: likely to do something.

Pronunciation

/əbˈnɒkʃəs/ /ɒb-/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-obnoxious.wav /əbˈnɑkʃəs/

Word forms

obnoxious more obnoxious most obnoxious obnoctious

Etymology

PIE word *h₁epi Learned borrowing from Latin obnoxiōsus (“subject to someone, under someone’s authority”) + English -ous (suffix denoting the presence of a quality in any degree, typically an abundance). Obnoxiōsus is derived from obnoxius (“guilty, punishable; subject to someone, under someone’s authority”) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; overly; prone to’, forming adjectives from nouns).

Synonyms

aggravating aggy annoying wretched bothersome chagrining cruddy douchetastic douchey drippy gittish honery irksome irritating obnoxious pesky plaguy troublesome twattish vexatious abhorrant abhorrent bad bum vile demonic disagreeable disgusting distasteful foul rancid fulsome gooey grim gro grody gross grotty harsh loathsome munted nasty nauseous offensive obscene rank repugnant repulsive revolting scabrous sickening strident unpleasant reprehensible

Antonyms

unobnoxious acceptable agreeable amiable charming comely nice pleasant pleasing welcome

Related words

innocent nocent noxious

Derived words

inobnoxious obnoxiosity obnoxiously obnoxiousness obnoxity unobnoxious
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