Inoffensive: meaning, definitions and examples

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inoffensive

 

[ หŒษชnษ™หˆfษ›nsษชv ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

description

Not causing any harm or annoyance; not offensive.

Synonyms

benign, harmless, innocuous, unobjectionable.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
inoffensive

Used when describing something that does not provoke or offend anyone.

  • The comedian's jokes were inoffensive, ensuring everyone had a good time.
harmless

Can describe anything not causing injury or damage. It is often used to reassure others that something is safe.

  • This little snake is harmless; it won't bite you.
innocuous

Describes something that is not harmful or offensive, often used to explain that something is insignificant or lacking in impact.

  • His comments were innocuous and didn't cause any trouble.
unobjectionable

Used to describe something that no one would find objectionable or offensive. It is often used in more formal or official settings.

  • The committee found the proposal unobjectionable and approved it quickly.
benign

Often used in medical or biological contexts to describe something that is not harmful or malignant.

  • The doctor confirmed that the tumor was benign.

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.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
inoffensive

Use this when describing something that is unlikely to offend or upset anyone.

  • His sense of humor is inoffensive and suitable for all audiences
unobjectionable

This is used when referring to something that no one can reasonably object to.

  • The proposal was unobjectionable, gaining unanimous approval
non-controversial

Use this when describing something that does not provoke disagreement or strong reactions.

  • We chose a non-controversial topic for the meeting to ensure everyone would be comfortable
diplomatic

This is used when talking about being tactful or handling sensitive matters with care, often to avoid conflict.

  • She gave a diplomatic answer to avoid any argument

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:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น inofensivo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค…เคนเคพเคจเคฟเค•เคฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช harmlos

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ tidak berbahaya

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฝะตัˆะบั–ะดะปะธะฒะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ nieszkodliwy

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ็„กๅฎณ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท inoffensif

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ inofensivo

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท zararsฤฑz

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ํ•ด๋กญ์ง€ ์•Š์€

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุบูŠุฑ ู…ุคุฐู

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ neลกkodnรฝ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ neลกkodnรฝ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๆ— ๅฎณ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ neลกkodljiv

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ skaรฐlaus

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะทะธัะฝัั‹ะท

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒฃแƒ•แƒœแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ”แƒšแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ zษ™rษ™rsiz

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ inofensivo

Etymology

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.