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
Nation-states now pair kinetic strikes with digital offensives.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Dynamic shifts on the battlefield — with large swaths of Ukrainian land changing hands in offensives and counteroffensives in the early years of the war — have since given way to a conflict of inches.
—Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
In previous offensives, Shabab managed to move back into areas after government forces withdrew or failed to maintain a presence.
—Omar Faruk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
The report said Russian forces have advanced at an average rate of between 49 to 230 feet per day in their most prominent offensives.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
Higher-level Russian headquarters interpret this footage as evidence that territory has been captured and therefore do not order further offensives.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Russian forces are intensifying offensives in Donetsk, expanding long-range strikes on cities and energy infrastructure, and pressing for territorial concessions.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Troops once used stands of trees or other natural barriers to defend themselves against small offensives.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Israel’s offensives outside Gaza were even more popular.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2025
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Dynamic shifts on the battlefield — with large swaths of Ukrainian land changing hands in offensives and counteroffensives in the early years of the war — have since given way to a conflict of inches.
—Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
In previous offensives, Shabab managed to move back into areas after government forces withdrew or failed to maintain a presence.
—Omar Faruk, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026
The report said Russian forces have advanced at an average rate of between 49 to 230 feet per day in their most prominent offensives.
—Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
Higher-level Russian headquarters interpret this footage as evidence that territory has been captured and therefore do not order further offensives.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Russian forces are intensifying offensives in Donetsk, expanding long-range strikes on cities and energy infrastructure, and pressing for territorial concessions.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Troops once used stands of trees or other natural barriers to defend themselves against small offensives.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Israel’s offensives outside Gaza were even more popular.
—Aluf Benn, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensives
Noun
-
Ukraine has launched drone attacks at Russia, although on a smaller scale.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The move came after a series of Iranian attacks on other troops at British, French and Italian bases in northern Iraq.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The raids at Prime Social and Post Oak Poker Club led to the arrest of nine people associated with the clubs, according to ABC13.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Last week’s deployment of the 31st MEU to the Middle East has sparked speculation as to whether they might be used to seize Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf -- crucial to Iran's oil trade -- or carry out raids on the Iranian shoreline around the Strait of Hormuz.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But these units have traditionally been used for missions like large-scale evacuations and amphibious operations that require ship-to-shore movements, including raids and assaults.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
14 Mar. 2026
-
When the novel came out, a great many citizens of Barcelona had experienced baton charges and vicious police attacks—assaults that were ongoing even as the book was being written and when it was published.—
Colm Tóibín,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Gomez noted the Cuban government has historically denied holding political prisoners, instead accusing critics and protesters of common criminal offenses.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Authorities, citing court documents and statements made in court, said that Benavides and others were charged in 2009 with federal offenses related to their participation in a Hartford area narcotics distribution conspiracy.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When will these onslaughts of cold end?—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Oil prices have surged since February 28, when the US and Israel opened aggressions by assassinating Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei in a series of missile strikes that also killed the commander of the IRGC, the minister of defense, and other top brass.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
12 Mar. 2026
-
As servers delicately navigate around the women, serving plates of food that will never be touched, micro-aggressions are tossed, disguised as jokes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Several attempts to absolve and absorb the liquid were unsuccessful, leading to a much longer closure than CHP officers had initially expected.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
The commission, which was established by statute in 1987 and serves as a bridge between the government and the state’s growing Latino population, has now survived two attempts to defund or eliminate it.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Most of the strikes occur in the summer, killing 20 people each year, according to the NWS.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Iranian strikes have killed at least a dozen civilians in Gulf countries, most of them migrant workers.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offensives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensives. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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