as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited
an officious little man who was always telling everyone else how to do their jobs
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Recent Examples of officious
There's an officious young secretary, Ms. McCormack (Laurie Veldheer), to keep reminding him of that, but the thrust and parry of the fast-dancing dialogue is between Sam (huffy, preoccupied) and Karen (tizzying, agitated, eager to please).
—
Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2022
The soul of this community is local queen bee Sherry Conrad (Search Party alum Shalita Grant, the season’s MVP), an officious, controlling momfluencer with a knack for stealing the spotlight.
—Judy Berman, Time, 17 Oct. 2021
At his side is the officious Bev Keane (a chilling Samantha Sloyan, from Hill House), the prototypical timeless, ageless, practically bloodless church lady, dressed like an overgrown Girl Scout and always judging, scolding, guilting.
—Judy Berman, Time, 20 Sep. 2021
On their first day, the resort manager (Gustaf Hammarsten) recommends an isolated beach and arranges for the family to be driven there along with a few other tourists, including an officious doctor (Rufus Sewell) and his family.
—BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for officious
Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2022
The soul of this community is local queen bee Sherry Conrad (Search Party alum Shalita Grant, the season’s MVP), an officious, controlling momfluencer with a knack for stealing the spotlight.
—Judy Berman, Time, 17 Oct. 2021
At his side is the officious Bev Keane (a chilling Samantha Sloyan, from Hill House), the prototypical timeless, ageless, practically bloodless church lady, dressed like an overgrown Girl Scout and always judging, scolding, guilting.
—Judy Berman, Time, 20 Sep. 2021
On their first day, the resort manager (Gustaf Hammarsten) recommends an isolated beach and arranges for the family to be driven there along with a few other tourists, including an officious doctor (Rufus Sewell) and his family.
—BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for officious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for officious
Adjective
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For him, a slow summer simply means lazy days and not being busy, just enjoying the summer.—
Hannah Nwoko,
Parents,
16 June 2025
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Volunteer security personnel helped gather people back to the sidewalks and helped pedestrians cross busy intersections.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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The Academic Senate also passed a resolution urging the school administration to resist any intrusive government demands for reform.—
Tyler Kingkade,
NBC news,
5 June 2025
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From Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses using live facial recognition to workplace monitoring software, AI has evolved beyond mere assistance into proactive—and intrusive—decision-making.—
Vivian Toh,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The new president, Karol Nawrocki, and his allies in the opposition Law and Justice party see the EU as a meddlesome bureaucracy, with a liberal agenda that threatens Polish sovereignty.—
Mark Sappenfield,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 June 2025
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The crisis involves a body and a ticking clock, as well as a zany, meddlesome doorman (Method Man, always welcome) added for good measure.—
Natalia Winkelman,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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In February, commissioners tabled a vote on the rezoning to give the builder time to revamp its plans after neighbors complained the development would be too obtrusive.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
20 May 2025
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Standing along the back wall in the Philadelphia Flyers dressing room after the game, surrounded by reporters with their obtrusive cellphone recorders just inches from his face and television cameras with their lights turned up brighter than necessary, Brink subtly, but noticeably, trembles.—
Kevin Kurz,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Mow At Convenient Times There's nothing quite as annoying as enjoying a peaceful slumber on Saturday morning, only to wake up to the sound of a roaring lawn mower.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
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There’s nothing more annoying than a show about waiting for something to happen.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Officious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/officious. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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