obtrusive

ob·trus·ive
O1B3T1R1U1S1I1V4E1
UK/əbˈtɹuːsɪv/UK/ɒb-/US/əbˈtɹusɪv/US/ɑb-/

adjective

Of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.

“He has an obtrusive forehead.”

Meanings

adjectiveobtrusive (comparative more obtrusive, superlative most obtrusive)

comparative more obtrusive · superlative most obtrusive

  1. 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 1139–1142

    Synonyms: intrusive, overassertive, overbearing, sharp-elbowed, authoritarian, autocratic, bossy, coercive · Antonyms: inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive

  2. 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 194–195

    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

    Synonyms: in-your-face, ostentatious · Antonyms: discreet, inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive

  3. 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 thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way.

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivesticking out; protruding

Similar

adjectiveundesirably noticeable

Similar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*trewd-“to push; to thrust”
  2. Latinobtrūsus
  3. 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”)).

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
APA

obtrusive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obtrusive

MLA

“obtrusive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obtrusive. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “obtrusive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/obtrusive.

Source: obtrusive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.