as in attacks
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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Recent Examples of offensives
Glen Powell’s rapid ascent from working actor to movie star constitutes one of Hollywood’s great charm offensives.
—
Judy Berman, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Future offensives by Russia would then become strategically futile, and thus not worth attempting.
—Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
Zelensky said Russia is planning two more heavy offensives after three previous attempts failed and that allies must sustain production of drones and electronic warfare systems and keep weapons and funding flowing to support Ukraine.
—Brendan Cole
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Russia is unable to spare manpower from Ukraine, where its forces are prosecuting grinding offensives at multiple points along the front.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
Both offensives also caused widespread fires.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Aug. 2025
Now, both the Mayitos and Chapitos have stepped up their offensives to seize key territories, Dittmar explains.
—Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Zelenskyy had rejected the proposal ahead of the summit, saying this would deprive Ukraine of key defensive positions and allow Moscow to launch further offensives into Ukraine.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2025
Its industrial capacity, fortified positions and access to the Sea of Azov also offer both economic leverage and strategic territory that Zelenskyy has warned Russia could use as a springboard for future offensives.
—Richard Engel, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2025
Judy Berman, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
Future offensives by Russia would then become strategically futile, and thus not worth attempting.
—Andriy Zagorodnyuk, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2025
Zelensky said Russia is planning two more heavy offensives after three previous attempts failed and that allies must sustain production of drones and electronic warfare systems and keep weapons and funding flowing to support Ukraine.
—Brendan Cole
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Russia is unable to spare manpower from Ukraine, where its forces are prosecuting grinding offensives at multiple points along the front.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 15 Sep. 2025
Both offensives also caused widespread fires.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 20 Aug. 2025
Now, both the Mayitos and Chapitos have stepped up their offensives to seize key territories, Dittmar explains.
—Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025
Zelenskyy had rejected the proposal ahead of the summit, saying this would deprive Ukraine of key defensive positions and allow Moscow to launch further offensives into Ukraine.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2025
Its industrial capacity, fortified positions and access to the Sea of Azov also offer both economic leverage and strategic territory that Zelenskyy has warned Russia could use as a springboard for future offensives.
—Richard Engel, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensives
Noun
-
In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.—
Daniella Segura,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Kurt's key takeaway The fact that Chrome has already faced six zero-day attacks this year shows how relentless attackers are and how even the most popular software can have serious gaps.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The city of Evanston, an urban suburb of Chicago, issued a statement warning its residents of impending raids by ICE agents and urging them to report sightings of law enforcement.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Prtizker criticized Noem, who has made several ads and social media posts of herself joining ICE raids, for her rhetoric.—
Luke Barr,
ABC News,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Cyber attacks are sometimes referred to when talking about types of hybrid assaults, or tactics which aren’t open warfare but are designed to be destabilizing.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Rodriguez-Torres' arrest comes amid reports that threats and assaults against ICE officers have surged by more than 1,000% in recent years.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This is one of the worst offenses in the NFL if not the worst.—
Michael Salfino,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
But there are better offenses waiting on the schedule, and the defense must be able to consistently get off the field if TCU wants to contend for a conference title.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Nix, through three quarters, had completed only one of his eight pass attempts of 10 or more air yards, according to TruMedia.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
New data reported to the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom shows that the majority of book censorship attempts are now originating from organized movements.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
August represented somewhat of a lull in Russian strikes.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Efficient, high-torque electric motors can be repurposed for precise navigation and dexterity for military strikes.—
Rebecca A. Fannin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offensives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensives. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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