as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
an inoffensive little joke at the opening of his speech
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inoffensive
But its efforts to remain anonymous and inoffensive have been undone by allegations of labor abuses, environmental criticisms and, despite moving its headquarters to Singapore, persistent concerns about its Chinese ownership.
—
Timothy McLaughlin, Wired News, 5 May 2025
The actual criterion, however, has tended to be a sort of weak-willed, inoffensive obsequiousness, such that all the countries on the Security Council will approve of you—and can use you as a scapegoat whenever necessary.
—Amanda Chicago Lewis, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
At night, be warned that a red light district — largely inoffensive (depending in your POV) but real — sits behind the hotel and envelops a Thai boxing ring.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Believing in any conspiracy theory, even one that seems as inoffensive or silly as the flat Earth theory, can set a person up to fall into larger conspiracy theories, Dashtgard says, like the idea that feminism is a global conspiracy meant to drag men down.
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoffensive
Timothy McLaughlin, Wired News, 5 May 2025
The actual criterion, however, has tended to be a sort of weak-willed, inoffensive obsequiousness, such that all the countries on the Security Council will approve of you—and can use you as a scapegoat whenever necessary.
—Amanda Chicago Lewis, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
At night, be warned that a red light district — largely inoffensive (depending in your POV) but real — sits behind the hotel and envelops a Thai boxing ring.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Believing in any conspiracy theory, even one that seems as inoffensive or silly as the flat Earth theory, can set a person up to fall into larger conspiracy theories, Dashtgard says, like the idea that feminism is a global conspiracy meant to drag men down.
—Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoffensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoffensive
Adjective
-
Beet juice may cause pink urine or red stool, which is harmless.—
Stephanie Brown,
Verywell Health,
12 Sep. 2025
-
For every community of mass-shooter fandoms, there is another that is silly, joyous, productive, or totally harmless.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While some Hamas apologists have portrayed the word as benign, its real meaning is undeniably violent — and not just for Israelis.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Given the slight shift toward caution that took hold among investors during its benign August-September consolidation, broad positioning seems well short of aggressive extremes.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Financial reports, client data, or confidential business information can be uploaded in ways that sidestep official security and AI policies, often neutralizing safeguards intended to keep information safe.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
New technology can solve crimes faster, safer, and less expensively than ever before.—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Someone's mispronunciation, for example, might have more do with innocent ignorance as opposed to a mistake worth correcting.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The new location will allow Wiggam Law to support clients outside of downtown Atlanta and directly in Gwinnett County, offering legal services including audit defense, tax litigation, penalty abatement, innocent spouse relief and IRS collections representation.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inoffensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoffensive. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share