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offensive

/ˈɔˌfɛnsɪv/noun, adjective3 syllables

Offensive means: unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses.

Synonyms for offensive57

noun, as in the action of attacking an enemy

offense, offence

adjective, as in unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses

abhorrent, detestable, obscene, repugnant, repulsive, charnel, ghastly, sepulchral, creepy, disgusting, disgustful, distasteful, foul, loathly
and 10 more, loathsome, repellent, repellant, repelling, revolting, skanky, wicked, yucky, ghoulish, morbid

adjective, as in for the purpose of attack rather than defense

antipersonnel, assaultive, attacking, hit-and-run, tip-and-run, incursive, invading, invasive, marauding, predatory, raiding, on the offensive, aggressive, hostile

adjective, as in causing or able to cause nausea

nauseating, nauseous, noisome, queasy, loathsome, sickening, vile, unwholesome

adjective, as in causing anger or annoyance

abusive, opprobrious, scurrilous, disrespectful, harmful

adjective, as in violating or tending to violate or offend against

violative, offending

adjective, as in morally offensive

unsavory, unsavoury

also used for offensive

invidious

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Opposites of offensive

inoffensive, defensive

What does offensive mean?7

adjective

1

unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses“offensive odors”

2

for the purpose of attack rather than defense“offensive weapons”

3

causing or able to cause nausea“a nauseating smell”

4

causing anger or annoyance“offensive remarks”

5

violating or tending to violate or offend against“violative of the principles of liberty”

6

morally offensive“an unsavory reputation”

noun

1

the action of attacking an enemy

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

What rhymes with offensive?7

four syllables

comprehensiveinexpensiveapprehensive
Show 40 near rhymes
gettingtellingmarriageeffectivewearingweddingparissellinghelpingsettingpresentedelectricspendingintendeddomesticconnectedendingselectedsuggestedacceptedtestingsharingaffectedarrestedsendingacademicdependingperspectivelettingrepresentedprotectedrecommendedheadingtestedattendedimpressiveharrischeckingattemptedexpecting

Offensive in a sentence

  • We should avoid writing sentences that are disrespectful, offensive or hateful.Hybrid
  • Nobody wants to translate sentences that are banal, offensive, rude or immoral.araneo
  • She writes irrelevant posts, and offensive ones at that.Lepotdeterre
  • Russian fall offensive, ongoing now, so far, is a damp squib.sacredceltic
  • Offensive behaviour can result from an inferiority complex.Ergulis
  • I find just the memory of his overly polite patronizing manner really offensive.CM
  • I hear a noise offensive to the ear.shanghainese
  • The demand contained nothing that could be viewed as offensive.rul

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of offensive

as a noun

plural
offensives