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obnoxious

adjective

äb-ˈnäk-shəs How to pronounce obnoxious (audio)
Definition of obnoxiousnext
1
as in ugly
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the obnoxious disc jockey caused many listeners to call the station with complaints

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offensive
provoking or likely to provoke protest an obnoxious comment for which there should be an immediate apology

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of obnoxious Stuff like Caitlin Clark getting mugged with no foul being called, or Sophie Cunningham pointing at some obnoxious player, or ESPN drooling over a coach wearing a pro-trans shirt. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Did Stevens outrun the final polls, in part, because some Democrats thought El-Sayed’s supporters were obnoxious? — David Weigel, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Lonnie is loud, obnoxious, and vulgar in ways that rankle traditional golfers. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026 And, for all the theater of the hearing and Wyper’s expressions of sympathy with aldermen, the Stonepeak executive didn’t offer any meaningful concessions to make this obnoxious meter deal more palatable for Chicagoans. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for obnoxious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obnoxious
  1. ugly
  2. offensive
  3. disgusting
  4. unacceptable
  5. awful
  6. unpleasant
  7. horrible
  8. objectionable
Adjective
  • Not many filmmakers can create something where moments as ugly as Billy’s scatological lectures coexist so elegantly with moments of honest longing and tragedy (and, in one or two moments, tentative hope).
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The hate being lobbed at Sheeran is also an unpleasant reminder of the extreme and ugly bullying tactics of the online left.
    — Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • Miami kept its offensive scoring streak intact on its third drive.
    — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong had one of his worst offensive games of the year, finishing 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and had nine total runners on base for those at-bats.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of offensive
Adjective
  • The better to act out empire’s idea of what disgusting demonic sickness looks like.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • These guys are disgusting over the radio in the heat of battle.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Immigrant and human-rights advocates called the situation unacceptable, particularly given the dangers facing returning Haitians, including gang killings and surging kidnappings.
    — Gérard Maxineau, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
  • That’s an unacceptable delay for units in active combat operations.
    — Nir Goldstein, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • To Morrison, as well as to the filmmakers, this awful backstory makes something cathartic of his accomplishment.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So the fact that there was this whole section of gay actors who weren’t allowed to do that is awful.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • Self-interrogation, of course, is often unpleasant and is not a prescription that is likely to sell many books.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • There was a lot of work on the medical cases to make the investigations complex and realistic, but there was also an entry point built around a strong, funny, unpleasant character, completely at odds with her return to her roots.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Much has been written about the power of artificial intelligence to improve life in myriad ways, but also about its truly horrible effects—now and going forward—if it isn’t managed properly.
    — Nadine Hack, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • But the horrible scenes that unfolded before him were incomparable.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • The male cultivars lack the seedpods that drop in the spring and make the tree objectionable to some homeowners.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Sep. 2026
  • There were aspects of the smart-grid law that were objectionable such as provisions that gave state utility regulators next to no say in the level of rate hikes ComEd demanded to make the work happen.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of objectionable

Browse Nearby Words

obloquy
obnoxious
obnoxiously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Obnoxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obnoxious. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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