take the offensive
idiom
: to begin to attack or fight against someone or something
Opponents of the development project took the offensive and defeated the land sale.
Examples of take the offensive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Roughly a month after Nelson committed, Hamdan left to take the offensive coordinator job at Kentucky.
—
Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
McBride helped take the offensive pressure off Randle’s shoulders with yet another blistering shooting night from downtown.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024
Businesses need to take the offensive as well to rise to the challenge and ensure their most sensitive information is safe.
—Anudeep Parhar, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Merritt will replace former UM assistant Tim Harris Jr., who recently left to take the offensive coordinator/wide receivers job at UCF.
—Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2024
Rees is replacing Bill O’Brien, who left to take the offensive coordinator position with the New England Patriots.
—Ralph D. Russo, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2023
Rather than working towards a copacetic co-parenting relationship with the mother of his four kids, West is choosing violence, opting to take the offensive by claiming that Kardashian is attempting to isolate him from their family through the divorce.
—Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 16 Mar. 2022
Tight ends coach Joe Craddock left to take the offensive coordinator position at Troy, along with offensive line coach Richard Owens making a lateral move, and cornerbacks coach Jay Simpson accepted the defensive pass-game coordinator position at Arkansas State.
—Evan Dudley, al, 1 Mar. 2022
The United States has also sought to deter adversaries by threatening to take the offensive and carry out retaliatory cyberattacks.
—Dmitri Alperovitch, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2021
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Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
McBride helped take the offensive pressure off Randle’s shoulders with yet another blistering shooting night from downtown.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 13 June 2024
Businesses need to take the offensive as well to rise to the challenge and ensure their most sensitive information is safe.
—Anudeep Parhar, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
Merritt will replace former UM assistant Tim Harris Jr., who recently left to take the offensive coordinator/wide receivers job at UCF.
—Susan Miller Degnan, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2024
Rees is replacing Bill O’Brien, who left to take the offensive coordinator position with the New England Patriots.
—Ralph D. Russo, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2023
Rather than working towards a copacetic co-parenting relationship with the mother of his four kids, West is choosing violence, opting to take the offensive by claiming that Kardashian is attempting to isolate him from their family through the divorce.
—Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 16 Mar. 2022
Tight ends coach Joe Craddock left to take the offensive coordinator position at Troy, along with offensive line coach Richard Owens making a lateral move, and cornerbacks coach Jay Simpson accepted the defensive pass-game coordinator position at Arkansas State.
—Evan Dudley, al, 1 Mar. 2022
The United States has also sought to deter adversaries by threatening to take the offensive and carry out retaliatory cyberattacks.
—Dmitri Alperovitch, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Take the offensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20offensive. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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