as in harmless
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
an inoffensive little joke at the opening of his speech
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Recent Examples of inoffensive
Not cloying, but clearly designed to be inoffensive: who would, after all, wish these boys, this family, this community, any harm?
—
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
The Da Vinci Code (2006) Hanks and Ron Howard’s adaptation of Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel is by-the-numbers and uninspired, but it’s professionally done in a way that’s mostly inoffensive.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
Brightly colored cartoon characters are a fun, inoffensive way to appeal to the youth, and the Catholic Church could stand to shed its image as a dusty, archaic institution.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The lookalike thing feels like an inoffensive trend—a local frenzy that harms nobody, a deluge of unseriousness.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for inoffensive
Manuel Betancourt, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
The Da Vinci Code (2006) Hanks and Ron Howard’s adaptation of Dan Brown’s blockbuster novel is by-the-numbers and uninspired, but it’s professionally done in a way that’s mostly inoffensive.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2024
Brightly colored cartoon characters are a fun, inoffensive way to appeal to the youth, and the Catholic Church could stand to shed its image as a dusty, archaic institution.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The lookalike thing feels like an inoffensive trend—a local frenzy that harms nobody, a deluge of unseriousness.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for inoffensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoffensive
Adjective
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While castor beans themselves are harmless, ricin, when extracted correctly in a complex process, is lethal and has been the stuff of Cold War assassinations and the plot of a popular episode on the Breaking Bad television series.—
Michael Loria,
USA TODAY,
8 Mar. 2025
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While these videos are mostly filter-free and appear to be harmless fun, Hines explained how beauty filters have altered the way the brain recognizes and prefers certain facial features.—
Russel Honoré,
Newsweek,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Meghan Markle and Mindy Kaling on 'With Love, Meghan' With Love, Meghan is as gentle and benign as can be.—
Alanna Bennett,
refinery29.com,
14 Mar. 2025
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First, military leaders stopped considering space as a benign environment, where threats from the harsh environment of space reign supreme.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But over the past decade, new studies and public health warnings have called that conventional wisdom into question, stating emphatically that no level of alcohol consumption could be considered safe — much less beneficial.—
Dylan Scott,
Vox,
14 Mar. 2025
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Waiting until fall to sow grass offers a simpler and safer solution.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison Still, despite being declared innocent and freed, Knox says she was never allowed to fully live her life again.—
Gillian Telling,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
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In the final moments of last week’s episode, Hector Ayala, aka the hero White Tiger, was found innocent in his trial against the NYPD then shot and killed on the street by an unknown murderer.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inoffensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoffensive. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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