obnoxious — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. Extremely offensive or unpleasant; very annoying, contemptible, or odious.

   Antonyms

   unobnoxious

   Examples

   Throwing stones at the bus is another example of your obnoxious behaviour.

   The disturbance had commenced, like those of England, in the refusal of the parliament to sanction an obnoxious tax; but here all resemblance ended.

   More examples (4)

   For my part, thumb-marks [in books] I find very obnoxious—far more so than the spoiling of the binding.

   Someone jolted my arm and the contents of my glass spilled onto an immaculate white dress. I felt obnoxious.

   I would have been nine or ten when my mother chased me up a thorn tree with a ceremonial hippo-hide whip. What my crime was, I forget. My mother was, and remains, a woman of exceptional forbearance. I must have done something so obnoxious as to beggar belief.

   He felt obnoxious and knew perfectly well that he would have no explanation whatsoever had anyone discovered him, but she looked so alluring, so untroubled, so fortunate, that his only concern was the terrible crack the shutter made...quiet as it was.

2. Unjustly disagreeable, argumentative or objectionable; brazenly rude.

   Usage

   • of a person

   Examples

   He was an especially obnoxious and detestable specimen of a man.

   I always feel out of place when I am around people. I feel obnoxious if I laugh or talk too much.

3. Exposed or vulnerable to something, especially harm or injury.

   Usage

   • Archaic
   • Obsolete

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   [T]he reſidence and the ſingle liuinges of miniſters preſume not onely to annihilate the ſolemne ordinations of ſuch as the Church muſt of force admit, but alſo to vrge a kinde of vniuerſall proſcription againſt them, to ſet dovvne articles to dravv commiſſions, and almoſt to name themſelues of the Quorum for inquirie into mens eſtates and dealings, vvhom at their pleaſure they vvould depriue and make obnoxious to vvhat puniſhment themſelues liſt, […]

   Thinke but hovv poore thou vvaſt, hovv obnoxious; / VVhom a ſmall lumpe of fleſh could poyſon thus.

   [M]elancholy perſons amongſt other paſſions and perturbations of the mind, are moſt obnoxious to it [jealousy].

   More examples (6)

   The Almond-tree is of all others the moſt obnoxious to Froſts, by reaſon of his early bloſſoming; […]

   To begin then vvith his Experiment of the burning VVood, it ſeems to me to be obnoxious to not a fevv conſiderable Exceptions.

   Novv then, vve being thus obnoxious to fallacy in our apprehenſions and judgements, and ſo often impoſed upon by theſe deceptions; our Inferences and Deductions muſt needs be as unvvarrantable, as our ſimple and compound thoughts are deceitful.

   'Tis true, the Tovvn of Manſoul vvas ſtrong, and (vvith a proviſo) impregnable; but you, the Tovvnſmen have vveakened it, and it novv lyes obnoxious to its foes; […]

   It is our comfort, while we are obnoxious to so many accidents, that we are under the care of One who directs contingencies, […]

   The wicked Soul, who had assum'd again / A form of sensible flesh, for his foul will, / Still bent on base revenge, and baffled still, / Felt that corporeal shape alike to pain / Obnoxious as to pleasure: […]

4. Causing harm or injury; harmful, hurtful, injurious.

   Usage

   • Obsolete

   Examples

   It [the crocodile] is the moſt obnoxious of all ſea monſters, […]

   More examples (1)

   In learning the uſeful part of every profeſſion, very moderate abilities vvill ſuffice; great abilities are generally obnoxious to the poſſeſſors. Life has been compared to a race; but the alluſion ſtill improves, by obſerving, that the moſt ſvvift are ever the moſt apt to ſtray from the courſe.

5. Deserving of blame or punishment; blameworthy, guilty.

   Usage

   • Obsolete

   Synonyms

   reprehensible

   Examples

   More examples (3)

   And they dreſſed and prepard Hierome of Prage, an oath, in the Councell of Conſtance, by vvhich he muſt ſvveare, freely, voluntarily, (or elſe bee burned) and ſimplie, and vvithout condition, To aſſent to that Church, in all things, but eſpecially in the Doctrines of the Keyes, and Eccleſiaſtick immunities and reliques, and all the ceremonies, vvhich vvere the moſt obnoxious matters.

   [A]s our par[ti]cular Perſons vvere not obnoxious, ſo if any Engliſh or Dutch Ships came thither, perhaps vve might have an Opportunity to load our Goods, and get Paſſage to ſome other Place in India, nearer Home.

   Therefore no wise republic ought to be satisfied, unless she bring to punishment the individual most obnoxious, and those about him who may be supposed to have made him so, his counsellors and courtiers.

6. Under the authority or power of someone; subject, subordinate; hence, deferential, submissive, subservient.

   Usage

   • Obsolete

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   [M]ost of them (the fellowes) being sneaking and obnoxious, they did run rather with the temper of the warden, than stand against him, to keep themselves in and enjoy their comfortable importances.

7. Followed by to: likely to do something.

   Usage

   • Obsolete

   Examples

   [O]ur corruption novv is more obnoxious and apter to admitte and inuite ſuch poyſonous ingredients, and temporall reſpects, then in thoſe purer times, […]

   More examples (1)

   [T]he time of Youth is moſt Obnoxious to forget God; there is great Inadvertency and Inconſiderateneſs, Incogitancy, Unſtableneſs, Vanity, love of Pleaſures, Eaſineſs to be corrupted in Youth; […]

Adjective

1. causing disapproval or protest

   Synonyms

   objectionable

   Examples

   a vulgar and objectionable person