as in obnoxious
not pleasing or likable; causing you to feel dislike of someone or something
He has an off-putting manner. The restaurant's garish décor was off-putting.
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Recent Examples of off-putting
Makio’s relationship with Shingo is rich and complicated, revealing new vulnerabilities in a character whose initially somewhat off-putting in her coldness.
—
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Sinks can get pretty nasty and develop an extremely off-putting smell.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Seen in this light, Chutzpah isn’t meant to be some off-putting personality quirk.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Squint, and the actor’s most off-putting moves could be attributed to his commitment to the grind, which could then encourage audiences to go see the results in action.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-putting
Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
Sinks can get pretty nasty and develop an extremely off-putting smell.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
Seen in this light, Chutzpah isn’t meant to be some off-putting personality quirk.
—Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Squint, and the actor’s most off-putting moves could be attributed to his commitment to the grind, which could then encourage audiences to go see the results in action.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-putting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-putting
Adjective
-
How did his part as Benny — the Gordons’ obnoxious cousin from Las Vegas — come to be?—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
-
She’s guarded, gives her co-workers obnoxious nicknames, and is always ready with a snarky comment.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The water is disgusting-looking.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
These words then take on guilt by association because of the things we have been socialized to find unpleasant, uncomfortable, or disgusting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The dusty chocolate coating is bitter and unpleasant, and there isn’t enough salt to offset it.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Some of it has been very unpleasant for me and many others, especially those who look like me.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As their mutual competitiveness grows shockingly ugly, Niall learns to turn Ruben’s Samsonian strength and fury against him, knocking down the pillars of Ruben’s own life.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Their banter is empty because outside the season’s premiere, The Boys hasn’t actually shown us this awful America, and how everyone within it, including celebrities, are at risk.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
-
This state has had some awful governors, but none in modern times ever attempted anything so repugnant as exposing more children to deadly diseases, as DeSantis has.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But a radioactive cloud was wafting across Europe, setting off alarms in a Swedish laboratory nearly seven hundred miles away and slowly sickening tens of thousands of people.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
That flight had twice aborted takeoff and declared an emergency due to an odor onboard that was sickening flight attendants.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the furthest part of space lies Dante 01, a detention facility that houses criminals who have committed the most shocking crimes imaginable.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Their latest documentary series looks set to continue that streak, exploring a shocking real case of love, betrayal, and justice.—
Fleurine Tideman,
Glamour,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The two hideous games between the Lakers and Rockets will likely come to mind relatively quickly, but the trend has been greater than just one series.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Such is a snarky line that Emily Blunt delivers as Emily Charlton in The Devil Wears Prada, a character who would rather faint than wear something hideous.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off-putting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-putting. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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