How to pronounce obnoxious
Say it like ob-NOK-shus. Obnoxious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NOK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce obnoxious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ob
- NOK
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Obnoxious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- obKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- NOKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of obnoxious
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: ub-NOK-shus.
What does obnoxious mean?
- Extremely offensive or unpleasant; very annoying, contemptible, or odious.“Throwing stones at the bus is another example of your obnoxious behavior.”
- Unjustly disagreeable, argumentative or objectionable; brazenly rude.“He was an especially obnoxious and detestable specimen of a man.”
Where does obnoxious come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin obnoxiōsus.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying obnoxious
How do you pronounce obnoxious?
Say ob-NOK-shus. The American pronunciation is /ɑbˈnɑkʃəs/. In British English it is /əbˈnɒkʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in obnoxious?
Obnoxious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NOK). Broken into parts: ob · NOK · shus.
Is obnoxious pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /əbˈnɒkʃəs/ (ub-NOK-shus).