inoffensive

/ˌɪnəˈfensɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnəˈfensɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌin-ə-ˈfen(t)-siv/ (ame, mw)

inoffensive — 形容詞

  • inoffensivepositive
  • more inoffensivecomparative
  • most inoffensivesuperlative

1. not causing anger, annoyance, or discomfort; mild or neutral, and avoiding topic

1.形容詞B2
釋義

不會冒犯人的

不會引起反感或不快的

not causing anger, annoyance, or discomfort; mild or neutral, and avoiding topics or qualities that might upset others.

例句

Qing chose an inoffensive topic — the weather — so that no one at dinner would feel upset.

Qing 選了一個不會冒犯人的話題當作晚宴的話題。

attributive use: inoffensive + noun (topic)

The landscape painting in the hospital lobby was pleasant but inoffensive — nothing to shock anyone.

醫院大廳那幅風景畫賞心悅目卻不冒犯人——沒有什麼會嚇到人的內容。

同義詞
  • harmless

    stronger focus on safety/danger rather than offence; 'inoffensive' is about feelings while 'harmless' can also mean physically safe

  • innocuous

    more formal, emphasises that something is unlikely to cause any reaction at all — slightly narrower than inoffensive

  • unobjectionable

    formal and more passive — simply means nobody has a reason to oppose it; less common in everyday use

  • mild

    overlaps in describing tastes, colours, or criticism, but 'mild' can also mean 'not strong' physically (e.g. mild cheese), which 'inoffensive' does not

反義詞
  • offensive

    direct opposite; causes anger or upset

  • objectionable

    stronger disapproval, suggests active rejection rather than mere discomfort

  • provocative

    intended to cause a reaction, often deliberately so

文法句型

be inoffensive

inoffensive + noun

用法筆記

Often used in descriptions of decor, colours, smells, jokes, and conversation topics. Less common than the antonym offensive; learners may encounter it more in writing than in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌His speech was very inoffensive' (vague).
✅His speech was carefully worded to be inoffensive.
💡Inoffensive is rarely used alone with 'very'; pair it with context showing what made it unobjectionable.
❌She said something inoffensive to me.
✅She made an inoffensive remark about the weather.
💡'Inoffensive' typically modifies the thing said, not the person receiving it.