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
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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
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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of offensive
Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2025
There are series with lazy writing, shallow characters, boring plots and even offensive elements.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Russia said on Monday its forces had made important gains in eastern Ukraine while continuing to fend off a new Ukrainian offensive inside the Kursk region of western Russia, where a second day of fierce fighting was under way.
—Reuters, NBC News, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for offensive 
Adjective
With their offensive leader off his game, plenty of Gators picked up the slack.
—Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2025
There are series with lazy writing, shallow characters, boring plots and even offensive elements.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukraine launched a fresh offensive in the Kursk region, where military analysts estimate Kyiv recently lost 40% of what its forces captured in a lightning insurgency five months ago.
—Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Russia said on Monday its forces had made important gains in eastern Ukraine while continuing to fend off a new Ukrainian offensive inside the Kursk region of western Russia, where a second day of fierce fighting was under way.
—Reuters, NBC News, 6 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for offensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensive
Adjective
-
This woman is just an awful, disgusting person in general.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2025
-
Regardless of who wins, social media will be abuzz with the postgame mayo shower, which is either good comedy or downright disgusting, depending on your tolerance for condiments getting poured on people.—
Dan Santaromita,
The Athletic,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Gone are different colored lines, obnoxious alarms if something is a half-mile away and a way-too-strong back-up warning.—
James Raia,
The Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2025
-
No one should feel pressured to maintain a relationship with someone who, day in and day out, displays obnoxious behavior without consideration for the other’s feelings.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
4 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Newsom has recently come under attack by critics of his handling of the historic wildfires.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
12 Jan. 2025
-
After much debate, the city finally decided to keep the reservoir open and use it for emergencies such as earthquakes, droughts and terror attacks, The Times reported in 2002.—
Shelby Grad,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Things did get ugly a few years later, with the Mexican-American war.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2025
-
His users are the ones that will suffer the most when the platform gets uglier.—
Scott Nover,
TIME,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The section says that Amazon believes in creating a diverse and inclusive company and that inequitable treatment of anyone is unacceptable.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
10 Jan. 2025
-
One glaring weakness Poles probably spent too much time talking about Williams’ role in the unacceptable number of sacks.—
Kevin Fishbain,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
While the officers denied it, Knight and his brother told the court that police had beaten Knight during the raid, leaving him bleeding from the side of his mouth.—
Shirsho Dasgupta,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
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In an email exchange from February 2011, a soldier told a senior officer of a raid in which a lone Afghan fighter, ordered to go back inside a building, returned with a weapon, even though he was heavily outnumbered.—
Mark Landler,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
After missing 27 games with a left hamstring strain, Zion Williamson returned to the court on Tuesday night and provided one of the few gratifying moments the New Orleans Pelicans could savor during an awful season.—
William Guillory,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
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But any Three Mile Island-style tech meltdown would come with awful collateral damage.—
Scott Rosenberg,
Axios,
8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
This was considered a pretty funny story, and not really objectionable.—
Keith Gessen,
The New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2025
-
Avoid objectionable language, also known as any word or phrase that is readily decipherable.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near offensive
Cite this Entry
“Offensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensive. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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