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Obtrusive vs Offensive - What's the difference?

obtrusive | offensive |

As adjectives the difference between obtrusive and offensive

is that obtrusive is sticking out; protruding while offensive is causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, or hatred.

As a noun offensive is

an attack.

obtrusive

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Sticking out; protruding.
    • The facade of the building was ornamented with obtrusive sculpted designs.
  • Noticeable]]; prominent, especially in a [[displease, displeasing way.
    • He has an obtrusive forehead.
  • Pushy.
    • The office manager is an unpleasantly obtrusive individual.

    Synonyms

    * (sticking out) bulging, jutting * (pushy) impertinent, intrusive

    Related terms

    * obtrusively * obtrusiveness

    offensive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, or hatred.
  • Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
    • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
  • Having to do with play directed at scoring.

    • Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "offensive" is often applied: content, material, language, word, comment, remark, statement, speech, joke, humor, image, picture, art, behavior, conduct, act, action. * When the second syllable is emphasized, "offensive" is defined as "insulting". When the first syllable is emphasized, it refers to the attacker of a conflict or the team in a sport who possesses the ball.

    Synonyms

    * aggressive * invidious (Intending to cause envious offense)

    Antonyms

    * inoffensive (not causing offense or disgust ) * defensive (relating or causing defence )

    Derived terms

    * offensiveness

    Related terms

    * offend

    Noun

  • (countable, military) An attack.
    • The Marines today launched a major offensive .
  • (uncountable) The posture of attacking or being able to attack.
    • He took the offensive in the press, accusing his opponent of corruption.

    External links

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