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
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
Clarkson, too, played a strong game and put up eight points and two offensive rebounds in 11 minutes on the floor.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Since then, Hezbollah has fired rockets, drones and anti-tank missiles into northern Israel, while Israel has responded with widening airstrikes and a ground offensive inside southern Lebanon.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offensive
Adjective
There are seven offensive tackles — Mauigoa, Utah’s Spencer Fano, Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, Utah’s Caleb Lomu, Clemson’s Blake Miller and Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor — ranked in Brugler’s top 33 players.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
Clarkson, too, played a strong game and put up eight points and two offensive rebounds in 11 minutes on the floor.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
The freshman offensive tackle is expected to be on the starting line when the Hurricanes open the season against Stanford in September.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2026
Since then, Hezbollah has fired rockets, drones and anti-tank missiles into northern Israel, while Israel has responded with widening airstrikes and a ground offensive inside southern Lebanon.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for offensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensive
Adjective
-
This was in itself disgusting but also came to represent the city’s problems.—
Rachel Sugar,
Curbed,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Living under an openly misogynistic president may have felt freakish in 2017, but by his second term, bigotry became yet another disgusting norm.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
How did his part as Benny — the Gordons’ obnoxious cousin from Las Vegas — come to be?—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
-
She’s guarded, gives her co-workers obnoxious nicknames, and is always ready with a snarky comment.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As shown in The Athletic’s match dashboard below, City might have had more of the ball, but Arsenal created some excellent opportunities with an attack-minded approach at the Etihad.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Both Hezbollah and Israel have have defended their attacks and claimed that the other has violated the ceasefire.—
Sarah Dean,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As their mutual competitiveness grows shockingly ugly, Niall learns to turn Ruben’s Samsonian strength and fury against him, knocking down the pillars of Ruben’s own life.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Ultimately, this will mean more encampments, more preventable deaths in the streets, and more individuals and families with no other option but to live in unsafe and unacceptable conditions.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Not ready for prime time Amazon’s Prime Video losing its feed in overtime of the Charlotte Hornets-Miami Heat play-in game was unacceptable for a streaming network that deems itself big time.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Barea is now one of the top assistants on Denver’s staff, collaborating with Adelman on the offense.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
During a 7-on-7 period, Fox-Flores hauled in a nice sideline catch, one of the lone receptions the offense made in the period.—
Gabriel Duarte,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But in the same vein as the Jets, that guy doesn't exist at the top of the board and the Cardinals also desperately need to improve on their awful pass rush (tied for third-fewest sacks in the NFL).—
Dan Zaksheske,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Bullying is this awful ostracization of people who don’t deserve it.—
Mac Engel
April 20,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Florida’s education commissioner also promised to investigate teachers over objectionable comments about Kirk.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
There is less passion and vibrancy to the show, even at its most objectionable moments.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensive. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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