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 Still, the constant death against even low-level grunt enemies, let alone fearsome bosses, is annoying and obnoxious. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 Thank goodness Angie Nixon is not an aggressively obnoxious member of the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 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 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
  • That's on the heels of a 41-7 blowout at Northwestern that was ugly enough for Deion Sanders to dismiss a handful of players for conduct detrimental to the team days later.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • In a world where (good, bad and ugly) answers and options are available, an employer needs a workforce that understands the business objectives and can weed through the noise to identify and execute the best solution.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • That expands the number of platforms capable of employing the system during defensive or offensive operations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The offensive line sort of got decimated, and now the cornerbacks have gotten decimated.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of offensive
Adjective
  • People tend to think of waste as trash, sewage, slag, manure and other seemingly useless or disgusting substances.
    — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The better to act out empire’s idea of what disgusting demonic sickness looks like.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • The group Save Our Beaches San Clemente, however, says adding more rocks on the coast to protect the railroad is unacceptable.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Russia's demands for Ukraine to surrender its territory, among other things, are unacceptable for Kyiv.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • On Saturday in Orlando playing against a Central Florida team that was without its starting quarterback and three other starters, TCU was awful in a 21-13 loss in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Nicky Lopez, Brett Phillips, Tim Hill and Mike Moustakas spent stints in an awful 2024 season that saw the White Sox set an MLB record with 121 losses.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • When considering thrift store furniture with upholstery, always check the cushions and padding for unpleasant odors.
    — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Impact on regional planning Several Davidson town commissioners noted their own unpleasant history with the I-77 North toll lanes project.
    — DJ Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • At its worst, cognitive impairment can be a horrible, life-altering disease for patient and loved ones.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Doubs had a horrible debut in the league’s season opener last week against the Seattle Seahawks.
    — Daniel Popper, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • With betrayal, lies, backstabbing and a cast of exceptionally objectionable characters, reality TV has all the ingredients for a great thriller novel.
    — L.M. Chilton, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of objectionable

Browse Nearby Words

obloquy
obnoxious
obnoxiously
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Cite this Entry

“Obnoxious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obnoxious. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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