Dictionary

obtrusive en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /əbˈtɹuːsɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɒb-/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əbˈtɹusɪv/ (General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɑb-/ (General-American)

Etymology

PIE word *h₁epi From Latin obtrūsus + English -ive (suffix meaning ‘of the nature of’, forming adjectives). Obtrūsus is the perfect passive participle of obtrūdō, a variant of obstrūdō (“to push, shove, or thrust against or into”), from ob- (prefix meaning ‘against; towards’) + trūdō (“to push, shove, or thrust”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *trewd- (“to push; to thrust”)).

Meanings

1. (figuratively) Of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.
   • Her vertue and the conſcience of her worth, / That would be woo'd, and not unfought be won, / Not obvious, not obtruſive, but retir'd, / The more deſirable, […] 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1139–1142:
   • The office manager is an unpleasantly obtrusive individual.
2. (figuratively) Of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way.
   • He has an obtrusive forehead.
   • Thus it was that, year by year, Boss McGinty's diamond pins became more obtrusive, his gold chains more weighty across a more gorgeous vest, and his saloon stretched farther and farther, until it threatened to absorb one whole side of the Market Square. 1914 September – 1915 May, Arthur Conan Doyle, “The Bodymaster”, in The Valley of Fear: A Sherlock Holmes Novel, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, published 27 February 1915, →OCLC, part II (The Scowrers), pages 194–195:
   • But there was a third principal in this primitive drama, the wife of Essenden, a woman of great energy, great possessiveness and obtrusive helpfulness. 1933 September, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “Melodramatic Interlude”, in The Shape of Things to Come, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC, 4th book (The Modern State Militant), page 338:
3. (obsolete) Protruding or sticking out, especially in a way that obstructs.
   • The facade of the building was ornamented with obtrusive sculpted designs.

Forms

Antonyms

unobtrusive · inobtrusive · inobtrusive · nonobtrusive · discreet · nonobtrusive · unobtrusive · nonobtrusive · inobtrusive · unobtrusive

Deriveds

unobtrusively · obtrusiveness · inobtrusively · obtrusively · hyperobtrusive · inobtrusiveness · nonobtrusive · semiobtrusive · unobtrusiveness · unobtrusive · inobtrusive

Hyponyms

hyperobtrusive · semiobtrusive

Relateds

intrude · detrude · obtrude · extrude · retrude

Synonyms

dictatorial · extuberant · autocratic · heavy-handed · oppressive · authoritarian · iron-fisted · exserted · obtrusive · outstanding · forceful · strict · monocratic · harsh · prominent · overbearing · protuberous · promontorial · domineering · dominant · intrusive · despotic · tyrannical · bulging · coercive · brassy · demanding · overbearing · projectory · bossy · sharp-elbowed · controlling · bulging · jutting · jutting · ostentatious · obtrusive · iron-handed · salient · protuberant · overassertive · in-your-face · commanding · projecting · protruding

Translations (27)

it importuno (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · fi tunkeileva (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · cs vtíravý (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · de auffällig (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · es obtrusivo (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · cs vlezlý (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · ka შესამჩნევი (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · it indiscreto (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · ka მოურიდებელი (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · cs obtěžující (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · bg натрапчив (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · fi tyrkyttävä (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · it invadente (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · cs okatý (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · pl nachalny (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · mk на́метлив (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · de aufdringlich (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · cs rušící (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · de penetrant (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · fi esiinpistävä (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · ka თვალშისაცემი (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · es obtruso (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · mk на́стојчив (of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy) · it sporgente (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · cs rušivý (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · cs nápadný (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way) · de (negativ) wahrnehmbar (of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way)