Standard Lemma guide

obtrusive

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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /əbˈtɹuːsɪv/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɒb-/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /əbˈtɹusɪv/
  • General-American: /ɑb-/
  • rhymes with -uːsɪv
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 B T R UW1 S IH0 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • The office manager is an unpleasantly obtrusive individual.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: intrusive, overassertive, overbearing, sharp-elbowed, authoritarian, autocratic, bossy, coercive, commanding, controlling, demanding, despotic, dictatorial, dominant, domineering, forceful, harsh, heavy-handed, iron-fisted, iron-handed, monocratic, obtrusive, oppressive, strict, tyrannical

Antonyms: inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • He has an obtrusive forehead.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in-your-face, ostentatious

Antonyms: discreet, inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive

3

adj

Meaning 3

Protruding or sticking out, especially in a way that obstructs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

Examples

  • The facade of the building was ornamented with obtrusive sculpted designs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bulging, jutting, exserted, extuberant, obtrusive, outstanding, projecting, projectory, prominent, promontorial, protruding, protuberant, protuberous, salient

Antonyms: inobtrusive, nonobtrusive, unobtrusive

4

adjective

Meaning 4

undesirably noticeable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the obtrusive behavior of a spoiled child
  • equally obtrusive was the graffiti

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: noticeable

Antonyms: unobtrusive

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

sticking out; protruding

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

PIE word *h1epi From Latin obtrūsus + English -ive (suffix meaning ‘of the nature of’, forming adjectives). Obtrūsus is the perfect passive participle of obtrūdō, a variant of obstrūdō (“to push, shove, or thrust against or into”), from ob- (prefix meaning ‘against; towards’) + trūdō (“to push, shove, or thrust”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *trewd- (“to push; to thrust”)).

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: натрапчив (natrapčiv) — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Czech: obtěžující — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Czech: vtíravý — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Czech: vlezlý — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Finnish: tunkeileva — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Finnish: tyrkyttävä — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Georgian: მოურიდებელი (mouridebeli) — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • German: aufdringlich — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • German: penetrant — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Italian: invadente — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Italian: importuno — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Italian: indiscreto — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Macedonian: на́метлив (námetliv) — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Macedonian: на́стојчив (nástojčiv) — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Polish: nachalny — of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering — see also pushy
  • Czech: rušivý — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Czech: rušící — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Czech: nápadný — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Czech: okatý — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Finnish: esiinpistävä — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Georgian: თვალშისაცემი (tvalšisacemi) — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Georgian: შესამჩნევი (šesamčnevi) — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • German: auffällig — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • German: (negativ) wahrnehmbar — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Italian: sporgente — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Spanish: obtrusivo — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
  • Spanish: obtruso — of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way