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Meanings of obtuseness in English

The quality of being slow to understand.

The quality of lacking a sharp edge or point.

Usage of obtuseness in English
1
He realized her prospective generosity, and contrasted it with my actual obtuseness.
The Adventures of Harry Richmond — Volume 5
2
To the long record of its obtuseness it had added another item.
Lincoln; An Account of his Personal Life, Especially of its Spri...
3
To things that go too deep, one opposes the bulwark of obtuseness.
Beyond
4
Mrs. Thornburgh felt a rush of inward contempt for so much obtuseness.
Robert Elsmere
5
It revolted him-thisobtuseness that would not see that he hated her.
The Dark House
6
Indiana's mournful head-shake seemed to deplore, in Undine, an unsuspected moral obtuseness.
The Custom of the Country
7
As soon as he had taken up a business, his obtuseness vanished.
Howards End
8
He thus shows his obtuseness, or his subordination to a higher power.
Welsh Folk-Lore / a Collection of the Folk-Tales and Legends of ...
9
It is rather a natural obtuseness, a want of thought on the subject.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 11, No. 64, February, 1863 / A Maga...
10
Ballantyne threw up his arms in despair at the obtuseness of his companion.
Witness for the Defence
11
You think his monumental obtuseness suited to the dignity of the English gentleman.
Daniel Deronda
12
He accepted good naturedly the customary feminine scorn for the customary masculine obtuseness.
The Gray Dawn
13
He spat out the words with unspeakable impatience at my obtuseness.
Lords of the North
14
His obtuseness was irrationally disarming and made her want to smile.
Tough customer: a novel
15
Then Alfred saw the truth, and wondered at his past obtuseness.
Hard Cash
16
Such innocence combined-uponthe whole-witha certain moral obtuseness, seemed inconceivable.
Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice
About this term
More collocations
Obtuseness through the time
Obtuseness across language varieties
United Kingdom
Common