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# inoffensive

adjective (inoffensive, more inoffensive)

«inoffensive» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Not likely to upset, annoy or offend anyone; harmless. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#m1)
2. Pleasant but rather dull or ordinary: an inoffensive colour. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday life: an inoffensive joke, an inoffensive little animal, an inoffensive beige wall. In stories it can describe a quiet, harmless character, sometimes unfairly picked on. Phrases: quite inoffensive, perfectly inoffensive, a mild inoffensive man.

### Examples

- The joke was inoffensive, so everyone laughed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#x1)
- Grass snakes are inoffensive and won't hurt you. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#x2)
- He was a quiet, inoffensive boy who never caused trouble. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#x3)
- They painted the room an inoffensive cream. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#x4)
- It's better to pick an inoffensive team name. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#x5)
- The puppy was inoffensive, just very excited. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/#x6)

### Note

Opposite: «offensive». «Inoffensive» can be praise (harmless) or mild criticism (boring).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «inoffensive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/inoffensive/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«inoffensive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/inoffensive.html) on Mova free.