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CEFR C2 — Proficiency

Officious

Definition

(formal, derogatory) Giving unwanted or unasked-for advice, or interfering in someone else's affairs in a way that is annoying or presumptuous. Often used to describe someone who is trying to assert their authority or importance in a situation where it is not warranted.

Example Sentences

1The officious neighbour kept telling us how to manage our garden, despite having no experience with gardening himself.
2Is it ever acceptable to be officious in a professional setting, or does it always undermine one's credibility?
3The officious tone of the letter made it clear that the writer was more interested in asserting their authority than in genuinely helping the recipient.
4Avoid being officious in your feedback; instead, focus on providing constructive suggestions that the recipient can use to improve.
5There is a fine line between being helpful and being officious; the key is to respect the other person's autonomy and decision-making capacity.

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