Dictionary

unobtrusive en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌʌnəbˈtɹusɪv/ (General-American)
• /(ˌ)ʌnəbˈtɹuːsɪv/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (General-American) audio

Etymology

From un- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + obtrusive.

Meanings

1. Not obtrusive; not blatant or noticeable; discreet, inconspicuous.
   • Behind an unobtrusive iron door in Dalston decorated with an ever-changing graffiti skin, lies a staircase leading down to a concrete bunker dating from the second world war. 2014 March 11, Jen Wong, “Exploring the mind in a bunker”, in The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Nov 2022:
   • Ye Quietiſts, in Homage to the Skies! / Serene! of ſoft Addreſs! vvho mildly make / An unobtruſive Tender of your Hearts, / Abhorring Violence! 1743, [Edward Young], “Night the Fourth. The Christian Triumph.”, in The Complaint: Or, Night-Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality, London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […]; [a]nd sold by M[ary] Cooper, […], →OCLC, page 27:
   • [T]hey were not the spoiled children of affectation and refinement, but a bold, vigorous, independent race of thinkers, with prodigious strength and energy, with none but natural grace, and heartfelt unobtrusive delicacy. 1820, William Hazlitt, “Lecture I. Introductory.”, in Lectures Chiefly on the Dramatic Literature of the Age of Elizabeth. […], London: Stodart and Steuart, […]; Edinburgh: Bell and Bradfute, →OCLC, page 2:
   • Like some poor devils ashore that happen to know an irascible great man, they make distant unobtrusive salutations to him in the street, lest if they pursued the acquaintance further, they might receive a summary thump for their presumption. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Affidavit”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 226:
   • This unobtrusive device helps millions of Americans sleep and concentrate by hushing the world around them. 2019 June 23, Mack Hagood, “How a Bad Night’s Sleep Birthed the Sound Conditioner”, in The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Mar 2023:
   • The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to three scientists whose work harnessed the power of molecular interaction and introduced new, unobtrusive ways of studying the natural world. 2022 October 5, Cora Engelbrecht, Euan Ward, Oliver Whang, “Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to 3 scientists for work ‘snapping molecules together’”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Mar 2023:

Forms

Antonyms

indiscreet · obtrusive · conspicuous · prominent

Deriveds

unobtrusively · unobtrusiveness · unobtrusive research

Relateds

obtrusive · inobtrusive · intrude · protrude · obtrude · extrude · obtrusiveness · obtrusively

Synonyms

unconspicuous · improminent · discreet · inobtrusive · obscure · noteless · unevident · inevident · unobtrusive · inobtrusive · sedate · inconspicuous · low-profile

Translations (29)

ru ненавя́зчивый (not obtrusive) · nl onopvallend (not obtrusive) · de bescheiden (not obtrusive) · ru неприме́тный (not obtrusive) · cy anymwthiol (not obtrusive) · da stilfærdig (not obtrusive) · ka არათვალშისაცემი (not obtrusive) · es discreto (not obtrusive) · cs decentní (not obtrusive) · de unaufdringlich (not obtrusive) · fi huomaamaton (not obtrusive) · sv omärkbar (not obtrusive) · no ikke/lite påtrengende (not obtrusive) · tr göze çarpmayan (not obtrusive) · sh neupàdljiv (not obtrusive) · el αθόρυβος (not obtrusive) · mk нена́метлив (not obtrusive) · es inobtrusivo (not obtrusive) · gd mì-liosda (not obtrusive) · es inobtruso (not obtrusive) · bg ненатрапчив (not obtrusive) · sh неупа̀дљив (not obtrusive) · ka შეუმჩნეველი (not obtrusive) · is látlaus (not obtrusive) · hu diszkrét (not obtrusive) · da tilbageholdende (not obtrusive) · de unauffällig (not obtrusive) · da beskeden (not obtrusive) · de unscheinbar (not obtrusive)