obtrusive
ob·trus·ive/əbˈtɹusɪv/adjective
obtrusive is spelled O-B-T-R-U-S-I-V-E: 9 letters and 3 syllables (ob·trus·ive). It appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 66,686th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, obtrusive means “Of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in obtrusive?
| Letters | 9: O-B-T-R-U-S-I-V-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: ob·trus·ive |
| In writing | about once in every 5 million words; the 66,686th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is obtrusive?
Obtrusive appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 66,686th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce obtrusive?
- UK /əbˈtɹuːsɪv/
- UK /ɒb-/
- US /əbˈtɹusɪv/
Obtrusive has 3 syllables, split ob·trus·ive in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-obtrusive.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with obtrusive?
7 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as obtrusive from its last stressed vowel (/usɪv/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of obtrusive
- more obtrusive comparative
- most obtrusive superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does obtrusive mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of a person: overly assertive, bold, or domineering; pushy; also, ostentatious.
The office manager is an unpleasantly obtrusive individual.
- 2
Of a thing: noticeable or prominent, especially in a displeasing way.
He has an obtrusive forehead.
- 3
obsoleteProtruding or sticking out, especially in a way that obstructs.
The facade of the building was ornamented with obtrusive sculpted designs.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Obtrusive in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | aufdringlich, penetrant , auffällig, (negativ) wahrnehmbar |
| Spanish | obtrusivo, obtruso |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does obtrusive come from?
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”)).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).