I have come across this word quite many times, and can only understood vaguely. I think it means unpleasant and aggressive. When I looked the word up in the dictionary, I didn't get much help. Macmillan defines it as:
obnoxious (adj.) very rude, offensive, or unpleasant : an obnoxious child; an obnoxious habit
While TFD says:
obnoxious (adj.) causing disapproval or protest;
– Example: "a vulgar and objectionable person"
With such vague definnitions, it is not easy to "grasp" the meaning of this word just from reading the dictionaries. I would like some expertise from people who speak English on a daily basis. I'm trying to figure out, for example, what do these phrases mean? Do they sound natural to a native speaker:
"That guy looks obnoxious."
"This dinosaurs looks obnoxious."
"I was acting obnoxiously."
When exactly do you use obnoxious to describe something? Does it have a feel of hatefulness towards the subject?
Best Answer
The definition
is almost correct, but as commonly used, obnoxious also implies that the offensiveness is difficult to ignore. An obnoxious child is not just rude, but loudly or aggressively so. An obnoxious color or combination of colors is unpleasant but also intense or bright like the way the building in the linked article was painted:
I would rewrite the definition as
I don't know if I feel hatefulness toward an obnoxious person - I think it's too strong a word. I would describe it as strong dislike mixed with annoyance.