offensive
causing resentful displeasure; highly irritating, angering, or annoying: offensive television commercials.
unpleasant or disagreeable to the sense: an offensive odor.
repugnant to the moral sense, good taste, or the like; insulting: an offensive remark; an offensive joke.
pertaining to offense or attack: the offensive movements of their troops.
characterized by attack; aggressive: offensive warfare.
the position or attitude of aggression or attack: to take the offensive.
an aggressive movement or attack: a carefully planned naval offensive.
Origin of offensive
1synonym study For offensive
usage note For offensive
Other words for offensive
1 | displeasing, vexatious, vexing, unpleasant |
2, 3 | distasteful, disgusting, revolting, repellent |
3 | repulsive, shocking |
4 | invading, attacking |
Opposites for offensive
Other words from offensive
- of·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- of·fen·sive·ness, noun
- non·of·fen·sive, adjective
- non·of·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- non·of·fen·sive·ness, noun
- o·ver·of·fen·sive, adjective
- o·ver·of·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- o·ver·of·fen·sive·ness, noun
- pre·of·fen·sive, adjective
- pre·of·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- pre·of·fen·sive·ness, noun
- qua·si-of·fen·sive, adjective
- qua·si-of·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- su·per·of·fen·sive, adjective, noun
- su·per·of·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- su·per·of·fen·sive·ness, noun
- un·of·fen·sive, adjective
- un·of·fen·sive·ly, adverb
- un·of·fen·sive·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for offensive
/ (əˈfɛnsɪv) /
unpleasant or disgusting, as to the senses
causing anger or annoyance; insulting
for the purpose of attack rather than defence
the offensive an attitude or position of aggression
an assault, attack, or military initiative, esp a strategic one
Derived forms of offensive
- offensively, adverb
- offensiveness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse