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Inoffensive: meaning, definitions and examples

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inoffensive

 

[ ˌɪnəˈfɛnsɪv ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

description

Not causing any harm or annoyance; not offensive.

Synonyms

benign, harmless, innocuous, unobjectionable

Examples of usage

  • It was a light-hearted, inoffensive joke that everyone enjoyed.
  • She always wore inoffensive colors like pastels and neutrals.
  • The movie was so inoffensive that it received a PG rating.
Context #2 | Adjective

behavior

Behaving in a way that does not cause offense or provoke strong reactions.

Synonyms

diplomatic, non-controversial, unobjectionable

Examples of usage

  • He spoke in an inoffensive manner, carefully avoiding controversial topics.
  • His inoffensive conduct at the meeting helped maintain a peaceful atmosphere.

Translations

Translations of the word "inoffensive" in other languages:

🇵🇹 inofensivo

🇮🇳 अहानिकर

🇩🇪 harmlos

🇮🇩 tidak berbahaya

🇺🇦 нешкідливий

🇵🇱 nieszkodliwy

🇯🇵 無害

🇫🇷 inoffensif

🇪🇸 inofensivo

🇹🇷 zararsız

🇰🇷 해롭지 않은

🇸🇦 غير مؤذٍ

🇨🇿 neškodný

🇸🇰 neškodný

🇨🇳 无害

🇸🇮 neškodljiv

🇮🇸 skaðlaus

🇰🇿 зиянсыз

🇬🇪 უვნებელი

🇦🇿 zərərsiz

🇲🇽 inofensivo

Word origin

The word 'inoffensive' originated from the Latin word 'inoffensus', which means 'not attacked or offended'. The prefix 'in-' denotes negation, while 'offensus' comes from the verb 'offendere' meaning 'to strike against, offend'. Over time, 'inoffensive' evolved to describe things or actions that do not cause harm or offense.

See also: counteroffensive, offenses, offensively, offensiveness, offensives.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #22,962, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.