obnoxious

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "obnoxious" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adjective which means extremely unpleasant or offensive. You can use it when referring to someone or something which causes intense dislike or annoyance. Example sentence: The loud and obnoxious man was asked to leave the party.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

The Economist

The Guardian

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

However, it has also attracted criticism for celebrating obnoxious lad culture and sexist content.

The Guardian

You have said in the past that you were obnoxious … Yeah, but who has never been obnoxious?

The Guardian - Music

And even Lionel Logue, the speech therapist who cuts through so much of the monarchy's pomposity, is a hideous social climber who subtly becomes more and more obnoxious and complacent the more access he gets to the king.

The Guardian - Film

Second, my hard-bitten journalistic instincts were immediately replaced by full-scale embarrassment about walking around a supermarket filming things like some sort of obnoxious oaf.

The Guardian

It is a gigantic mirror-clad middle finger aimed at the region; indeed, it's hard to imagine a more obnoxious gesture to inflict on a sleepy spa town.

The Guardian - Arts

In already stretched departments their behaviour is an unwelcome and potentially dangerous distraction from the care of people who might reasonably be described as more deserving," said Mann. "Patients who are acutely intoxicated can become abusive, argumentative, obnoxious or physically abusive.

The Guardian

RaeLynn's detractors find her bashful lyrics obnoxious and her voice grating, but to her credit, she has a clear songwriting perspective and a very distinctive sound.

The Guardian - Music

The bouncer stabbed his finger into my chest, as if I, too, was an obnoxious, lightweight drunk: I had come in with that freak and had better get that freak out of here, or we'd both be on the floor, bleeding from the mouths, no kidding.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It also treats the obnoxious kids at its core with such distaste that an older audience may find it surprisingly satisfying.

The Guardian - Film

When I received a particularly obnoxious email from him the other day, I dialled his number with shaking fingers and spent five minutes in a bliss of white rage.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It's a bizarre question – why should I never have been obnoxious?

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's behavior, use "obnoxious" to indicate a deliberate and offensive manner. For instance, "His obnoxious behavior at the meeting disrupted the entire presentation."

Common error

Avoid using "obnoxious" for situations that are merely mildly irritating. Reserve it for actions or behaviors that are deeply unpleasant and offensive.

Linguistic Context

The word "obnoxious" functions primarily as an adjective. It is used to describe nouns, attributing to them the quality of being extremely unpleasant, offensive, or annoying. As Ludwig AI confirms, this word is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

68%

The Economist

16%

The Guardian

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "obnoxious" is a commonly used adjective that effectively conveys a strong sense of unpleasantness or offensiveness. According to Ludwig AI, the word is considered correct and usable in written English. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, as well as in publications like The Guardian and The Economist, it maintains a neutral tone suitable for various writing styles. When using "obnoxious", consider its intensity and avoid using it in overly mild situations. Alternatives such as "offensive" or "irritating" may be more appropriate depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely unpleasant

Focuses more on the unpleasant nature rather than the offensive behavior.

highly offensive

Emphasizes the causing of offense, potentially lacking the annoying aspect.

utterly detestable

Highlights a strong feeling of dislike and abhorrence.

thoroughly irritating

Concentrates on the capacity to provoke impatience or anger.

quite disagreeable

Represents a milder form of unpleasantness, lacking intensity.

particularly annoying

Highlights the quality of causing irritation.

genuinely repulsive

Emphasizes causing intense disgust.

remarkably irritating

Focuses on the exceptional nature of being annoying.

exceptionally unpleasant

Highlights the extraordinary degree of unpleasantness.

extremely irritating

Focuses on the high degree of annoyance caused.

FAQs

How to use "obnoxious" in a sentence?

Use "obnoxious" to describe someone or something that is extremely unpleasant or offensive. For example, "The "obnoxious behavior" of the fans ruined the concert for everyone else."

What can I say instead of "obnoxious"?

You can use alternatives like "offensive", "repulsive", or "irritating" depending on the specific context.

What's the difference between "obnoxious" and "offensive"?

"Obnoxious" implies a deliberate and irritating unpleasantness, while "offensive" primarily indicates causing someone to feel resentful or upset.

Is "obnoxious" a formal or informal word?

"Obnoxious" is generally considered a neutral word, suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but avoid using it in overly polite or delicate situations.