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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obnoxious
provoking or likely to provoke protest
insensitive, offensive remarks about the plight of the homeless
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of offensive
Antonio Morales, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025
One of the reasons for the optimism is the offensive line has size and experience.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2025
That came after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and vandalized two tanker planes to protest against Britain’s support for Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
—Danica Kirka, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offensive
Adjective
He will be supported with a strong play caller in Grubb, a great receiver group led by star sophomore Ryan Williams and a strong offensive line.
—Antonio Morales, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025
One of the reasons for the optimism is the offensive line has size and experience.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, Russia stood back when Azerbaijan reclaimed control of Karabakh in the September 2023 offensive, angering Armenia, which has moved to shed Russian influence and turn westward.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2025
That came after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base and vandalized two tanker planes to protest against Britain’s support for Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
—Danica Kirka, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensive
Adjective
-
Kruse and her co-conspirators are now on their fourth different set of lawyers in this dispute, and this is a disgusting publicity stunt by new counsel, as evidenced by the fact that the complaint and press release were sent to the press before the complaint was served.—
Michaela Zee,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The series sets the various human and humanoid segments of its cast on a direct course with the distinctly inhuman alien flora and fauna on the ship – there are some inventive little monsters aboard, disgusting and harrowing in their own special ways – to great effect.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
His wife, Penelope, is fending off a horde of obnoxious suitors trying to take his throne, while their son, Telemachus, grows up wondering if his father is still alive.—
Mekishana Pierre Published,
EW.com,
17 July 2025
-
Genovese deals with this quite cleverly, putting those obnoxious anthropomorphic emotions to good use in the end.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
But just this week, BPD arrested two undocumented immigrants caught on camera carrying out a violent attack in Canton.—
WBFF STAFF,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Given the dynamics of last year’s presidential contest, in which worries about rising costs of living played a role in Californian Kamala Harris’s loss to Donald Trump, California’s very high costs for housing and other fundamental living needs, would be fodder for attacks on Newsom in 2028.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Navy must address the ugly fact that, despite all the security America can provide, a diverse array of enemies, rivals and criminals can shut the Panama Canal down at virtually any time.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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In the ugliest defeat of a season belatedly compiling them, the New York Mets blew an early 6-0 lead Wednesday to fall to the Atlanta Braves 11-6.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In an interview, Pryor said the deputy's actions were unacceptable given the subject's age, regardless of how the series of events truly unfolded.—
Killian Baarlaer,
The Courier-Journal,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The critiques have only intensified with each year that passes since the team’s last Super Bowl victory in 1996, with Jones calling the drought unacceptable at the NFL owners meeting earlier this year.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Since then, his administration has ramped up immigration raids on businesses, threatened widespread deportation, and canceled temporary legal status for more than a million people living in the United States.—
Alexander Kustov,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Aug. 2025
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In another instance, troops that went with a federal agency conducting a raid at a cannabis farm in Riverside County formed a security perimeter that prevented people from leaving.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
That said, the pitching is in an awful place right now, though rookie Chase Dollander’s performance Monday night at St. Louis was heartening.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
13 Aug. 2025
-
This man has saved countless kids from being groomed, has raised awareness to millions about these condo games and the awful things pedophiles will do to get their hands on children, and he's comforted people literally just like me who've gone through the exact thing.—
Jill Duffy,
PC Magazine,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The San Remo was happy to take Dustin Hoffman and Demi Moore but found Madonna and Calvin Klein objectionable.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
13 Aug. 2025
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Sesame Workshop has since said the account was back under its control, and the objectionable messages had been deleted.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensive. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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