Standard Lemma guide

inoffensive

adj · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N AH0 F EH1 N S IH0 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

not offensive

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • an inoffensive joke

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

harmless

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • an inoffensive plant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

substituting a mild term for a harsher or distasteful one

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • `peepee' is a common euphemistic term

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: euphemistic

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

giving no offense

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a quiet inoffensive man
  • a refreshing inoffensive stimulant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: offensive

5

adjective

Meaning 5

not causing anger or annoyance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • inoffensive behavior

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unoffending

Antonyms: offensive

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English offensive English inoffensive From in- + offensive.

Across languages

Translations

28 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: inofensiu — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Chinese Mandarin: 觸犯人的 /触犯人的 (bù chùfàn rén de) — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Finnish: viaton — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Finnish: hyvää tarkoittava — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Italian: inoffensivo — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Japanese: 無難な (bunan na) — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Japanese: 当たり障りのない (atarisawari no nai) — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Māori: māhaki — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Portuguese: inofensivo — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Russian: безоби́дный (bezobídnyj) — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Russian: необи́дный (neobídnyj) — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Spanish: inofensivo — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Ukrainian: необра́зливий (neobrázlyvyj) — not offensive — see also innocuous
  • Catalan: inofensiu — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Chinese Mandarin: 無害的 /无害的 (wúhài de) — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Finnish: harmiton — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • French: inoffensif — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Irish: neamhurchóideach — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Italian: inoffensivo — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Japanese: 無難な (bunan na) — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Japanese: 当たり障りのない (atarisawari no nai) — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Manx: neuskielleydagh — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Norman: innoffensif — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Norwegian Bokmål: harmløs — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Portuguese: inofensivo — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Russian: безвре́дный (bezvrédnyj) — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Spanish: inofensivo — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous
  • Ukrainian: нешкідли́вий (neškidlývyj) — harmless — see also harmless, innocuous