obtuse

/əbˈtjuːs/ (bre, ipa) · /əbˈtuːs/ (ame, ipa) · /äb-ˈtüs əb-, -ˈtyüs/ (ame, mw)

obtuse — adjective

  • obtusepositive
  • more obtusecomparative
  • most obtusesuperlative

1. slow to grasp something that should be easy to notice, or deliberately refusing

1.形容詞C2
釋義

slow to grasp something that should be easy to notice, or deliberately refusing to see what is obvious.

例句

Even after three diagrams, Jack stayed obtuse about the parking rules.

pattern: be obtuse about + topic

Salma was being deliberately obtuse when the coach asked who broke the window.

collocation: deliberately obtuse

同義詞
  • dense

    more informal and more openly insulting

  • dim

    slightly old-fashioned; suggests limited understanding rather than deliberate refusal

  • slow

    softer and more general; can describe delayed understanding without the same sharp criticism

反義詞
  • sharp

    quick to notice and understand things

  • perceptive

    good at picking up meaning or detail quickly

文法句型

be obtuse about + topic

obtuse + person

用法筆記

Common in criticism or argument. It can suggest either real slowness of understanding or a stubborn refusal to admit what is clear, so it often sounds insulting.

常見錯誤

❌The instructions are obtuse.
✅The instructions are unclear.
💡in modern everyday use, obtuse usually describes a person's understanding, not the clarity of the thing itself.

2. describing an angle that is wider than a right angle but not as wide as a straig

2.形容詞C1
釋義

describing an angle that is wider than a right angle but not as wide as a straight line.

例句

Mizuki marked the obtuse angle in red before measuring the triangle.

math classroom: obtuse angle

The carpenter cut two boards to form an obtuse angle above the gate.

同義詞
  • wide

    plain-English description, not the technical geometry term

  • open

    informal way to describe an angle with a large spread

反義詞
  • acute

    used for angles smaller than 90 degrees

  • right

    used for an angle that is exactly 90 degrees

文法句型

obtuse + angle

obtuse triangle

at an obtuse angle

用法筆記

Used in mathematics, design, and other technical description. Distinguish from acute and right: an obtuse angle is larger than 90 degrees but smaller than 180 degrees.

常見錯誤

❌The shelf is obtuse.
✅The shelf is slanted.
💡obtuse describes the angle itself, not the whole object.