0

Sites like thesaurus.com suggest "friendly", "sociable", and "warm" as antonyms, but those are the middle of the spectrum. I'm looking for a single word that goes beyond that, to describe someone that is overly "friendly", who takes liberties, who is unaware or slightly uninterested in other people's boundaries. Not in a clearly perverted or malevolent way. "Handsy" would be too strong and specific of a word (because it implies physical contact). "Oozing" would also be wrong - there may be little to no liquid. But you're having something like "ooze" foisted on you (any substance or practice that you don't want near you).

I search for this word every once in a while, with no success. This week I had to set up a Windows 10 computer. After opting out of Microsoft's invasive default settings, here I am again, trying to find a word that describes similar people (and companies). Sample sentence: "I try to avoid Windows 10, because it's the _____est software they've ever released (Clippy included)."

Improve this question
5
  • What's wrong with unfriendly or aloof? (The world needs more loofs...)
    – Rob_Ster
    Commented Jan 27, 2017 at 4:29
  • @Rob This is a request for an antonym, such as "overly friendly".
    – Ted Striker
    Commented Jan 27, 2017 at 4:30
  • 1
    To the title question: He was all over him, he was right in his face... To the body content: intrusive, obnoxious
    – Jim
    Commented Jan 27, 2017 at 4:43
  • I was thinking of 'gregarious' which goes being friendly to mean actually fond of company ... better antonym for standoffish.. but it's not a negative word (well perhaps to an aloof person has a natural disdain for gregarious types.)
    – Tom22
    Commented Jan 27, 2017 at 4:46
  • @Jim Yeah! "All over him" is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about. "Right in his face" has an element of deliberate menace though - that isn't quite right.
    – Ted Striker
    Commented Jan 27, 2017 at 4:50

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
1

There are a few senses of cloying that might fit:

initially pleasurable or sweet but wearying in excess

and

causing distaste or disgust through excess.

or

overly ingratiating or sentimental.

although most cloying (not cloyingest) would have to fill in the blank.

Improve this answer
1

Forward, pushy, aggressive, assuming, audacious, bantam, impudent, nervy, overassertive, overweening, pert, presuming, presumptuous

Improve this answer
1

Maybe you are looking for exuberance?

(over)Exuberant

  • : joyously unrestrained and enthusiastic
  • : unrestrained or elaborate especially in style : flamboyant
Improve this answer
0

Here is one that would apply more in some cases than others.

glad-handing

glad-handing at Cambridge dictionary

noun [ U ] UK ​ /ˈɡlædˌhænd.ɪŋ/ US ​ /ˈɡlædˌhænd.ɪŋ/ informal ​

  • being very friendly to people you have not met before, as a way of trying to get an advantage:

political glad-handing

or

glad hand

  • an overly friendly welcome; a symbol of insincere attention. (*Typically: get ~; give someone ∼.)

Whenever I go into that store, I get the glad hand.

I hate to go to a party and get the glad hand.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

glad hand

  • A warm and hearty but often insincere welcome or greeting, as in

Politicians are apt to give the glad hand to one and all. [Slang; late 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .