obnoxious

comparative more obnoxious · superlative most obnoxious · alternative obnoctious

1. Extremely offensive or unpleasant; very annoying, contemptible, or odious.

   Throwing stones at the bus is another example of your obnoxious behaviour.

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   The disturbance had commenced, like those of England, in the refusal of the parliament to sanction an obnoxious tax; but here all resemblance ended.

   1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 74

   For my part, thumb-marks [in books] I find very obnoxious—far more so than the spoiling of the binding.

   1867, George MacDonald, “Sermon on God and Mammon”, in Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood […], volume I, London: Hurst and Blackett, publishers, successors to Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 359

   Someone jolted my arm and the contents of my glass spilled onto an immaculate white dress. I felt obnoxious.

   1989, Antônio Torres, Blues for a Lost Childhood: A Novel of Brazil, Columbia, La.: Readers International, →ISBN, page 41

   I would have been nine or ten when my mother chased me up a thorn tree with a ceremonial hippo-hide whip. What my crime was, I forget. My mother was, and remains, a woman of exceptional forbearance. I must have done something so obnoxious as to beggar belief.

   2003, David Bennun, “After the Earthquake”, in Tick Bite Fever, London: Ebury Press, published 2004, →ISBN, page 109

   He felt obnoxious and knew perfectly well that he would have no explanation whatsoever had anyone discovered him, but she looked so alluring, so untroubled, so fortunate, that his only concern was the terrible crack the shutter made...quiet as it was.

   2013, Molly Cutpurse [pseudonym?], chapter 5, in Dark Man, [United Kingdom]: [Lulu.com], →ISBN, page 44

   Synonyms: aggravating, aggy, annoying, wretched, displeasing, bothersome, chagrining, cruddy · Antonyms: unobnoxious, acceptable, agreeable, amiable, charming, comely, nice, pleasant

2. Unjustly disagreeable, argumentative or objectionable; brazenly rude.

   He was an especially obnoxious and detestable specimen of a man.

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   I always feel out of place when I am around people. I feel obnoxious if I laugh or talk too much.

   2013 December 13, Catherine Hilterbrant, chapter 16, in Drive-by Psychosis, Bloomington, Ind.: iUniverse, →ISBN, page 51

3. archaicobsoleteExposed or vulnerable to something, especially harm or injury.

   Thinke but hovv poore thou vvaſt, hovv obnoxious; / VVhom a ſmall lumpe of fleſh could poyſon thus.

   a. 1631 (date written), J[ohn] Donne, “The Progresse of the Soule. The First Song.”, in Poems, […] with Elegies on the Authors Death, London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Iohn Marriot, […], published 1633, →OCLC, page 265

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   [T]he reſidence and the ſingle liuinges of miniſters preſume not onely to annihilate the ſolemne ordinations of ſuch as the Church muſt of force admit, but alſo to vrge a kinde of vniuerſall proſcription againſt them, to ſet dovvne articles to dravv commiſſions, and almoſt to name themſelues of the Quorum for inquirie into mens eſtates and dealings, vvhom at their pleaſure they vvould depriue and make obnoxious to vvhat puniſhment themſelues liſt, […]

   1597, Richard Hooker, “The Author of the Abstract”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], 2nd edition, London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, book V, page 449

   [M]elancholy perſons amongſt other paſſions and perturbations of the mind, are moſt obnoxious to it [jealousy].

   1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Iealosie, His Equivocations, Name, Definition, Extent, Severall Kindes, of Princes, Parents, Friends, in Beasts, Men, before Marriage, as Corriuals, or after as in This Place”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 3, section 3, member 1, subsection 1, page 662

   The Almond-tree is of all others the moſt obnoxious to Froſts, by reaſon of his early bloſſoming; […]

   1658, [Nicolas de Bonnefons], “[The First Treatise.] Section VII. Of Trees and Shrubs in Particular, How They are to be Governed, and Their Maladies Cured.”, in John Evelyn, transl., The French Gardiner: Instructing How to Cultivate All Sorts of Fruit-trees, and Herbs for the Garden: […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[ohn] M[artyn] for John Crooke, […], published 1669, →OCLC, page 82

   To begin then vvith his Experiment of the burning VVood, it ſeems to me to be obnoxious to not a fevv conſiderable Exceptions.

   1661, Robert Boyle, “Physiological Considerations Touching the Experiments Wont to be Employed to Evince either the IV Peripatetick Elements, or the III Chymical Principls of Mixt Bodies. Part of the First Dialogue.”, in The Sceptical Chymist: or Chymico-physical Doubts & Paradoxes, […], London: […] J. Cadwell for J. Crooke, […], →OCLC, page 26

   Novv then, vve being thus obnoxious to fallacy in our apprehenſions and judgements, and ſo often impoſed upon by theſe deceptions; our Inferences and Deductions muſt needs be as unvvarrantable, as our ſimple and compound thoughts are deceitful.

   1661, Joseph Glanvill, “A Fourth Reason of Our Ignorance and Error, viz. the Fallacy of Our Imaginations; […]”, in The Vanity of Dogmatizing: Or Confidence in Opinions. […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 102

4. obsoleteCausing harm or injury; harmful, hurtful, injurious.

   It [the crocodile] is the moſt obnoxious of all ſea monſters, […]

   1638, Tho[mas] Herbert, Some Yeares Travels Into Divers Parts of Asia and Afrique. […], 2nd edition, London: […] R[ichard] Bi[sho]p for Iacob Blome and Richard Bishop, →OCLC, book III, page 323

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   In learning the uſeful part of every profeſſion, very moderate abilities vvill ſuffice; great abilities are generally obnoxious to the poſſeſſors. Life has been compared to a race; but the alluſion ſtill improves, by obſerving, that the moſt ſvvift are ever the moſt apt to ſtray from the courſe.

   1765, [Oliver] Goldsmith, “Essay XII”, in Essays. […], London: […] W[illiam] Griffin […], →OCLC, pages 97–98

5. obsoleteDeserving of blame or punishment; blameworthy, guilty.

   Therefore no wise republic ought to be satisfied, unless she bring to punishment the individual most obnoxious, and those about him who may be supposed to have made him so, his counsellors and courtiers.

   1824, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation VI. Æschines and Phocion.”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume I, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 73

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   And they dreſſed and prepard Hierome of Prage, an oath, in the Councell of Conſtance, by vvhich he muſt ſvveare, freely, voluntarily, (or elſe bee burned) and ſimplie, and vvithout condition, To aſſent to that Church, in all things, but eſpecially in the Doctrines of the Keyes, and Eccleſiaſtick immunities and reliques, and all the ceremonies, vvhich vvere the moſt obnoxious matters.

   1610, John Donne, “That Nothing Requir’d in this Oath, Violates the Popes Spirituall Iurisdiction; […]”, in Pseudo-Martyr. […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Walter Burre, →OCLC, paragraph 9, page 353

   [A]s our par[ti]cular Perſons vvere not obnoxious, ſo if any Engliſh or Dutch Ships came thither, perhaps vve might have an Opportunity to load our Goods, and get Paſſage to ſome other Place in India, nearer Home.

   1719, [Daniel Defoe], The Farther Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 296

   Synonyms: reprehensible

6. obsoleteUnder the authority or power of someone; subject, subordinate; hence, deferential, submissive, subservient.

   [M]ost of them (the fellowes) being sneaking and obnoxious, they did run rather with the temper of the warden, than stand against him, to keep themselves in and enjoy their comfortable importances.

   a. 1696 (date written), Anthony a Wood [i.e., Anthony Wood], “The Life of Anthony a Wood, Written by Himself”, in Anthony a Wood, Philip Bliss, Athenæ Oxonienses. An Exact History of All the Writers and Bishops who have had Their Education in the University of Oxford. […], new edition, volume I, London: […] F. C. and J. Rivington; […], published 1813, →OCLC, page xlix

7. obsoleteFollowed by to: likely to do something.

   [O]ur corruption novv is more obnoxious and apter to admitte and inuite ſuch poyſonous ingredients, and temporall reſpects, then in thoſe purer times, […]

   1610, John Donne, “That the Romane Religion doth by Many Erroneous Doctrines Misencourage and Excite Men to this Vicious Affectation of Danger: […]”, in Pseudo-Martyr. […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Walter Burre, →OCLC, part III (Of Purgatory), paragraph 17, page 188

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   [T]he time of Youth is moſt Obnoxious to forget God; there is great Inadvertency and Inconſiderateneſs, Incogitancy, Unſtableneſs, Vanity, love of Pleaſures, Eaſineſs to be corrupted in Youth; […]

   1676, Matthew Hale, “Eccles[iastes] XII. 1.”, in Contemplations Moral and Divine. The Second Part, London: […] William Shrewsbury […], and Tho[mas] Leigh and D[aniel] Midwinter, […], published 1699, →OCLC, page 322