Synonyms for obtrusive
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Intrusive — of a person, overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious
intrusive, overbearing, pushy, officious, meddlesome, forceful, brassy, sharp-elbowed, forward, overassertive
2. Garish — of a thing, noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way
in-your-face informal, garish, ostentatious, gaudy, blatant, tawdry, flashy, flaunting, meretricious
3. Noticeable — protruding or sticking out, especially in a way that obstructs
noticeable, prominent, salient, marked, outstanding, conspicuous
Other
bumptious UK
Definitions
- adj. 1
Of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.
The office manager is an unpleasantly obtrusive individual.
- adj. 2
Of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way.
He has an obtrusive forehead.
- adj. 3
Protruding or sticking out, especially in a way that obstructs.
The facade of the building was ornamented with obtrusive sculpted designs.
Related words
- Word family
- obtrusiveness obtrude
Example sentences
- intrusive Miroslav apologized for being intrusive at the beginning.
- pushy Tom and Mary aren't as pushy as they used to be.
- overbearing Tom can be overbearing, but he's a generous man.
- ostentatious Tom wants to build an ostentatious and smart house.
- garish The film is a simple story cloaked in garish splendour.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| obtrusive | steady | |
| intrusive | steady | |
| pushy | rising | |
| overbearing | rising | |
| officious | rising | |
| ostentatious | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- pushy2, gaudy2
- 6 letters
- marked1, flashy2, garish2, brassy2, tawdry2
- 7 letters
- forward2, blatant2, salient3
- 8 letters
- forceful2
- 9 letters
- prominent3, intrusive3, flaunting2, officious, bumptious
- 10 letters
- noticeable4, meddlesome3
- 11 letters
- outstanding3, conspicuous4, overbearing4
- 12 letters
- ostentatious4, meretricious
- 13 letters
- overassertive
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (pushy2 = 2 syllables).