View synonyms for

obtuse

[uhb-toos, -tyoos]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; not sensitive or observant; dull.
Synonyms: , , , , , , , , ,
not sharp, acute, or pointed; blunt in form.
(of a leaf, petal, etc.) rounded at the extremity.
indistinctly felt or perceived, as pain or sound.

obtuse

/ ə��ˈ��ː�� /

adjective

mentally slow or emotionally insensitive
maths
1. (of an angle) lying between 90° and 180°
2. (of a triangle) having one interior angle greater than 90°
not sharp or pointed
indistinctly felt, heard, etc; dull
obtuse pain
(of a leaf or similar flat part) having a rounded or blunt tip

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Other Word Forms

obtusely adverb
obtuseness noun
subobtuse adjective
subobtusely adverb
�ǲ�ˈ�ٳܲ�� adverb
�ǲ�ˈ�ٳܲ��Ա�� noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of obtuse¹

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin �ǲ��ū��ܲ� “dulled,” past participle of obtundere, equivalent to ob- ob- + ��ū��-, variant stem of tundere “to beat” + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > s

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Word History and Origins

Origin of obtuse¹

C16: from Latin �ǲ��ū��ܲ� dulled, past participle of obtundere to beat down; see _obtund

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

If the brothers are coy and circumspect about their personal lives, their working relationship is slightly less obtuse.

From

But “Afterlife” never gets boring, or obtuse, or clinical.

From

Willfully obtuse, perhaps, but that applies more to bad-faith viewers trying to get their hot takes to go viral.

From

He has never witnessed half of what he claims, and happily invents facts to support his obtuse and inerudite opinions.

From

Humanity is in a dire situation, and anyone who doubts where this is going is being deliberately obtuse or lied to.

From

obturate obtuse angle

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