noisome
offensive or disgusting, as an odor; harmful; noxious; stinking: noisome factory emissions
Not to be confused with:
noisy – loud, harsh, or confused sounds; clamorous; tumultuous; vociferous: noisy football fans.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
noi·some
(noi′səm)adj.
1. Offensive to the point of arousing disgust; foul: a noisome odor.
2. Harmful or dangerous: noisome fumes.
[Middle English noiesom : noie, harm (short for anoi, annoyance, from Old French, from anoier, to annoy; see annoy) + -som, adj. suff.; see -some1.]
noi′some·ly adv.
noi′some·ness n.
Usage Note: People sometimes assume that noisome means "noisy," because the two words sound similar. But in our 2011 survey, 89% of the Usage Panel found the sentence We could barely hear each other with the noisome helicopter overhead to be unacceptable. If you use noisome as a synonym for noisy, there's a good chance that others will misinterpret your words and think you're describing someone or something as being offensive or harmful.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
noisome
(ˈnɔɪsəm)adj
1. (esp of smells) offensive
2. harmful or noxious
[C14: from obsolete noy, variant of annoy + -some1]
ˈnoisomely adv
ˈnoisomeness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
noi•some
(ˈnɔɪ səm)adj.
1. offensive or disgusting, as an odor.
2. harmful or injurious to health; noxious.
[1350–1400; Middle English noyesome =noy- (aph. variant of anoyen to harm, injure; see annoy) + -some -some1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Adj. | 1. |  noisome - causing or able to cause nausea; "a nauseating smell"; "nauseous offal"; "a sickening stench"unwholesome - detrimental to physical or moral well-being; "unwholesome food"; "unwholesome habits like smoking" |
| 2. | noisome - offensively malodorous; "a foul odor"; "the kitchen smelled really funky" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
noisome
adjective disgusting, offensive, foul, stinking, smelly, reeking, noxious, fetid, putrid, malodorous, mephitic, niffy (Brit. slang) Noisome vapours arise from the mud left in the docks
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
noisome
adjectiveHaving an unpleasant odor:
Informal: smelly.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
noisome
[ˈnɔɪsəm] ADJ (= disgusting) → asqueroso; (= smelly) → fétido, maloliente; (= harmful) → nocivoCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007