as in obnoxious
not pleasing or likable; causing you to feel dislike of someone or something
He has an off-putting manner. The restaurant's garish décor was off-putting.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 off-putting
Nothing here is more off-putting, however, than the prospect of drinking milk in a hot tub.
—
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 23 Feb. 2026
Makio’s relationship with Shingo is rich and complicated, revealing new vulnerabilities in a character whose initially somewhat off-putting in her coldness.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Seen in this light, Chutzpah isn’t meant to be some off-putting personality quirk.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Squint, and the actor’s most off-putting moves could be attributed to his commitment to the grind, which could then encourage audiences to go see the results in action.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-putting
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 23 Feb. 2026
Makio’s relationship with Shingo is rich and complicated, revealing new vulnerabilities in a character whose initially somewhat off-putting in her coldness.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Seen in this light, Chutzpah isn’t meant to be some off-putting personality quirk.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Squint, and the actor’s most off-putting moves could be attributed to his commitment to the grind, which could then encourage audiences to go see the results in action.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-putting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-putting
Adjective
-
Magic starred Hopkins as Corky, a magician who reaches fame alongside his ventriloquist’s dummy, the obnoxious and wisecracking Fats.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
And who wants to be John Adams, fat, bald and obnoxious?—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
This administration has unleashed a disgusting anti-immigrant agenda.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Let women be monstrous, disgusting, angry, feral creatures!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Place a bowl of coffee grounds in the offending area (or, in the case of your shoes, place dry grounds in an old sock or cloth tied up and leave overnight inside the shoe) and let the grounds absorb unpleasant odors, says Rocky Vuong, founder of Calibre Cleaning Unlimited.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
-
Years later, the teenaged Daughter lets in a woman from the outside, which causes chaos in their relationship and reveals some unpleasant secrets.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Last year, the two teams met in London in an ugly 13-11 Denver win.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
With respect to humor’s inherent subjectivity, the appallingly ugly aesthetics of the AI overwhelm any possible comedic sensibility on display.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gray has been good at home, a more reliable starter, and Painter has been awful overall.—
David Troy OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
-
There was a sense of an extraordinary person and so many extraordinary people doing quite awful things throughout the year.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Accumulating plastic waste is overwhelming waterways and oceans, sickening marine life and threatening human health.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The regular Forest captain was injured in a sickening clash of heads with Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, with both players eventually substituted in the 66th minute.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
But early polls have showed Schlossberg parlaying his Kennedy aura, name recognition and attention-grabbing social media chops into a shocking lead, with Bores also in the mix.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
Six permanent outdoor works are dotted around the property, including a large rocket by Polish artist Goshka Macuga and a shocking pink tree, commissioned specifically for the island, by Pamela Rosenkranz.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The two hideous games between the Lakers and Rockets will likely come to mind relatively quickly, but the trend has been greater than just one series.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Such is a snarky line that Emily Blunt delivers as Emily Charlton in The Devil Wears Prada, a character who would rather faint than wear something hideous.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off-putting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-putting. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
