as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
an inoffensive little joke at the opening of his speech
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Recent Examples of inoffensive
Panahi’s work up to this point might have been considered inoffensive, even safe, which made his next film, 2000’s The Circle, a major shift.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Branch is a rarity in the home office space, making furniture finds that marry ergonomics with sleek, inoffensive silhouettes.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Oct. 2025
The design remains clean, functional and inoffensive.
—New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
Soon, though, Shahn began to doubt whether such pleasant, inoffensive paintings sufficed.
—Nicole Rudick, The New York Review of Books, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoffensive
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025
Branch is a rarity in the home office space, making furniture finds that marry ergonomics with sleek, inoffensive silhouettes.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Oct. 2025
The design remains clean, functional and inoffensive.
—New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2025
Soon, though, Shahn began to doubt whether such pleasant, inoffensive paintings sufficed.
—Nicole Rudick, The New York Review of Books, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoffensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoffensive
Adjective
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Here are five times what seemed like a harmless toy turned into a puzzling moment online.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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This is usually harmless and goes away when intake is reduced.—
Barbie Cervoni,
Verywell Health,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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All worth watching, though perhaps with seasonal factors favorable, earnings clocking in near a 12% annual growth pace and credit markets showing little stress, a modest wobble is enough to skim away some froth and revert the market to its benign trend.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
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However, consuming a lot of beta carotene-rich foods may cause a benign, temporary condition called carotenodermia, which causes the skin to turn yellowish-orange.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Having no cool aunt of my own and no elder sisters, just teenage babysitters and camp counselors (each with their own unique but tenuous grasp on anatomy and reproductive science), the book felt warm, inviting, and—perhaps most important to my terrified, bleeding, self—safe.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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The two men exchange grateful texts later that evening, home safe and stumped about where to go next.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
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Given sun in just the proper dose, which is no more than three or four hours of direct daily exposure, its innocent look of youth may persist for a decade.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inoffensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoffensive. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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