Meaning & use
officious
Last updated
Assertively offering unwanted advice or authority, especially in a way that is meddlesome or self-important.
See it in a sentence
The officious clerk insisted on checking every form twice, even though it wasn't required.
An officious neighbor kept telling everyone how to mow their lawns properly.
A note on using this word
Officious is a classic false friend: it does not mean "official," but rather describes someone who is annoyingly eager to assert authority.
Words with a similar meaning
meddlesomeoverbearing
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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