off-putting

adjective

off-put·​ting ˈȯf-ˌpu̇-tiŋ How to pronounce off-putting (audio)
Synonyms of off-puttingnext
: that puts one off : repellent, disconcerting
an off-putting attitude
off-puttingly adverb

Examples of off-putting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Finding any kind of insect in your home can be off-putting, but earwigs are one of the easier pests to deal with. Dan Simms, USA Today, 15 May 2026 Sprinkle them around your hydrangeas, but be sure to work them into the soil to help eliminate any off-putting smell. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 9 May 2026 There’s something off-putting about interacting with someone who’s outsourcing their side of the conversation to an algorithm. Tessa West, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026 The show began with a pre-recorded segment echoing Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho that featured Sam Elliott as an off-putting traffic cop. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off-putting

Word History

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-putting was in 1935

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Cite this Entry

“Off-putting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-putting. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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