Meanings
comparative more obtrusive · superlative most obtrusive
- figurativelyOf a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.
The office manager is an unpleasantly obtrusive individual.
1 more example
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 1139–1142Synonyms: intrusive, overassertive, overbearing, sharp-elbowed, authoritarian, autocratic, bossy, coercive · Antonyms: inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive
- figurativelyOf a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way.
He has an obtrusive forehead.
2 more examples
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 194–195But 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 338Synonyms: in-your-face, ostentatious · Antonyms: discreet, inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive
- obsoleteProtruding or sticking out, especially in a way that obstructs.
The facade of the building was ornamented with obtrusive sculpted designs.
Synonyms: bulging, jutting, bulging, exserted, extuberant, jutting, outstanding, projecting · Antonyms: inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveOf a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.
adjectiveOf a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way.
adjectiveProtruding or sticking out, especially in a way that obstructs.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivesticking out; protruding
adjectiveundesirably noticeable
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*trewd-“to push; to thrust”
- Latinobtrūsus
- Englishobtrusive
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”)).
More words from Latin, Proto-Indo-European
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian натрапчив
- натрапчив (natrapčiv)of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
Czech obtěžující, vtíravý
- obtěžujícíof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- vtíravýof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- vlezlýof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- rušivýof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
- rušícíof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
- nápadnýof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
- okatýof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
Finnish tunkeileva, tyrkyttävä
- tunkeilevaof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- tyrkyttäväof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- esiinpistäväof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
German aufdringlich, penetrant
- aufdringlichof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- penetrantof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- auffälligof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
- (negativ) wahrnehmbarof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
Italian invadente, importuno
- invadenteof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- importunoof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- indiscretoof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
- sporgenteof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
Polish nachalny
- nachalnyof a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
Spanish obtrusivo, obtruso
- obtrusivoof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
- obtrusoof a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
Cite this entry
obtrusive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obtrusive
“obtrusive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obtrusive. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “obtrusive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obtrusive.
Source: obtrusive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.