obtrude
LowFormal, Literary
Definition
Meaning
To force oneself or one's ideas on others in an unwelcome, noticeable, or intrusive manner.
To become noticeable or prominent in an intrusive or unwelcome way; to thrust something forward or into view.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in negative or critical contexts to describe an unpleasant or unwanted imposition. Implies a lack of sensitivity or consideration for boundaries.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage between BrE and AmE. The word is equally formal and low-frequency in both varieties.
Connotations
Universally negative, suggesting rudeness or a lack of tact. Associated with a violation of social or physical space.
Frequency
Rare in everyday speech in both regions, slightly more likely to be encountered in formal writing or literary contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] obtrudes on/upon [Object (e.g., consciousness, privacy)][Subject] obtrudes [Object (e.g., opinion)] on/upon [Indirect Object][Subject] obtrudes oneself into [Situation]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly with 'obtrude'. Related concept: 'to overstep the mark'.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used in critiques of aggressive sales tactics or management styles, e.g., 'He obtrudes his opinions in every meeting.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, sociology, or psychology to discuss characters, ideas, or structures that disrupt a narrative or social norm.
Everyday
Extremely rare in casual conversation. A more common alternative is 'intrude' or 'impose'.
Technical
Not typical.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He did not wish to obtrude upon her private grief.
- The garish neon sign obtrudes on the historic skyline.
American English
- She felt his opinions were obtruding on the discussion.
- Memories of the accident would obtrude at the most inopportune times.
adverb
British English
- 'Obtrusively' is the adverb form. He stood obtrusively in the doorway.
- The product was placed obtrusively at the front of the store.
American English
- 'Obtrusively' is the adverb form. The logo was displayed obtrusively on every page.
- He cleared his throat obtrusively to get their attention.
adjective
British English
- 'Obtrusive' is the adjective form. His manner was loud and obtrusive.
- They found the new building's design unpleasantly obtrusive.
American English
- 'Obtrusive' is the adjective form. The security cameras were deliberately unobtrusive.
- She made an obtrusive effort to join the conversation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please don't obtrude your problems on me.
- The loud music obtruded on our peaceful evening.
- He has a tendency to obtrude his political views into casual conversations.
- The modern sculpture obtrudes awkwardly in the middle of the classical garden.
- The narrator's voice constantly obtrudes upon the narrative, breaking the reader's immersion.
- In his later work, the author's personal biases began to obtrude, compromising the objectivity of his analysis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a rude (TRUDE) person pushing themselves OB-viously into your space. OB + TRUDE = to be obviously rude by intruding.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE OBJECTS / SELF IS AN OBJECT. The self or an idea is conceptualized as a physical object that can be thrust (obtruded) into a mental or social space.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation from Russian 'навязывать' in all contexts; 'obtrude' is much more formal and literary. In most spoken situations, 'impose' or 'push' is more natural.
- Do not confuse with 'obtuse' (dull-witted) or 'abstruse' (difficult to understand).
Common Mistakes
- Using it in informal contexts where 'bother' or 'intrude' would be better.
- Incorrect preposition: 'obtrude into' is less common than 'obtrude on/upon'.
- Misspelling as 'obstrude' (influenced by 'obstruction').
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following sentences is 'obtrude' used MOST appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Intrude' is more general and common, meaning to enter without permission. 'Obtrude' adds a stronger sense of being noticeably, often offensively, thrust forward. One can intrude quietly, but to obtrude is to be conspicuously intrusive.
Extremely rarely. Its core meaning is negative, relating to an unwelcome imposition. A neutral or positive use would be highly stylistic or ironic, e.g., 'A single, perfect rose obtruded from the chaos of weeds.'
Yes, significantly. 'Obtrusive' (e.g., 'obtrusive advertising', 'an obtrusive person') is encountered far more frequently in modern English than the verb form.
For the verb, 'impose' (as in 'impose on someone') or 'force' (as in 'force your opinion on someone'). For the related concept, the adjective 'pushy' or phrase 'in your face' are common informal equivalents.