offensive 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈfen(t)-siv How to pronounce offensive (audio)
Definition of offensivenext
1
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment I find your disrespectful attitude toward religion very offensive the smell of rotting food is quite offensive

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obnoxious
provoking or likely to provoke protest insensitive, offensive remarks about the plight of the homeless

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

offensive

2 of 2

noun

as in attack
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence the primary offensive by the ground forces will commence at dawn tomorrow

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of offensive
Adjective
Reese recorded her 19th double-double of the season with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while also setting a new Atlanta Dream record for offensive rebounds in a season with her 137th, surpassing Brionna Jones. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026 Mitchell Evans, offensive lineman Robert Hunt, and offensive lineman Damien Lewis were the only ones on the team’s training camp roster who didn’t practice Friday. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
The United States began its first offensive of World War II, Operation Watchtower. — USA Today, 21 July 2026 The group built underground networks through assassinations, extortion, intimidation and infiltration before launching its offensive. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for offensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensive
  1. disgusting
  2. obnoxious
  3. attack
  4. ugly
  5. unacceptable
  6. offense
  7. awful
  8. objectionable
Adjective
  • The left's most hated author — JK Rowling — has dropped the hammer on the disgusting things that took place at the Indiana Fever-Seattle Storm game earlier this week.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
  • Or when some man behaving like a degenerate gambler plods into Chelsea Gray’s DMs with a disgusting slur.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Lonnie is loud, obnoxious, and vulgar in ways that rankle traditional golfers.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
  • And, for all the theater of the hearing and Wyper’s expressions of sympathy with aldermen, the Stonepeak executive didn’t offer any meaningful concessions to make this obnoxious meter deal more palatable for Chicagoans.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
Definition of obnoxious
Noun
  • While a ground operation would be complex, the ISIS report pointed out several possible avenues for attack.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • That case focused mostly on the details of the knife attack itself; the federal one delves more into questions of motive.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Definition of attack
Adjective
  • Punk tried an ugly moonsault and missed, leading to a Cody kickout at two.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Further, the most recent version of a Flyers black sweater was just plain ugly.
    — The Athletic NHL Staff, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • The episode has added to a growing chorus of concern among AI safety advocates, who argue that agents capable of independently identifying and exploiting unknown vulnerabilities across multiple companies’ infrastructure present an unacceptable risk.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 29 July 2026
  • Conditional approval remains a possibility for firms demonstrating no unacceptable risks.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Noun
  • Jordin Canada ran the offense with nine assists and went eight-of-eight shooting from the free throw line.
    — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • With the offense in a third-and-goal situation from the 6-yard line, all eyes were on the unit to punctuate its most successful day of practice so far.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of offense
Adjective
  • So kudos to the extras who steal scenes from them in the background, flailing like avant-garde dancers when a vicious mental parasite leaps from grandmothers to joggers to security guards on a quest to find something awful.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
  • The experts and the betting odds expect futility on the field, something close to awful.
    — Greg Cote July 27, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • Almost two decades ago in Germany, a particularly wily octopus named Otto short-circuited his aquarium’s electrical system by shooting jets of water at an overhead light that perhaps caused an objectionable glare.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 July 2026
  • Bees love to visit the blooms but many gardeners find the stalks of flowers objectionable.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026
Definition of objectionable

Browse Nearby Words

offenses
offensive
offensiveness
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Cite this Entry

“Offensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensive. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on offensive

Nglish: Translation of offensive for Spanish Speakers

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