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
How to use offensive in a sentence
Government forces, he says, are constantly on the back foot, rarely launching offensives to regain territory.
Iraqis Swear: Baghdad Airport is Safe From ISIS | Susannah George | October 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn response, Iran has carried out mass arrests at home—and backed a series of offensives against ISIS abroad.
Tech snafus are also part of Democratic offensives against two Republicans running for reelection this year.
Even the Most Powerful Man in the World Is at the Mercy of the IT Guy | Jill Lawrence | March 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMilitarily, there often seems little true strategic thought behind rebel attacks and offensives.
Dozens of ground offensives failed to make headway, as German snipers cut down Allied assaults.
Such offensives as the Allies ventured were either complete failures or merely local successes, without major value.
Sometimes we heard of misgivings in the town when our offensives were stretching the German armies to cracking point.
13 Days | John Alan Lyde CaunterOn this occasion the general plan of the Allied armies comprised a series of offensives on all fronts.
The History of the 51st (Highland) Division 1914-1918 | Frederick William BewsherThis second of Ptain's limited offensives was carried out by Maistre and led to a more extended German retirement.
A Short History of the Great War | A. F. PollardCertainly those offensives were begun with limited forces, and probably succeeded beyond his expectations.
A Short History of the Great War | A. F. Pollard
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
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