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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of offensive
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2025
Crunching numbers The Kings are 21st in the NBA in offensive rating (112.4) and 29th in defensive rating (123.0) with a 3-9 record over the past 12 games.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 26 Mar. 2025
Sadie Hoch, Newport Harbor, Sr., midfielder The Texas commit and Sunset League offensive MVP had 13 goals and 11 assists for the league runner-up.
—Dan Albano, Oc Register, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offensive
Adjective
Specifically, Schottenheimer is looking at the offensive and defensive lines as areas where competition will be rampant heading into the season.
—Noun
Trump is apparently shifting to a charm offensive in his efforts to win control of the territory, with second lady Usha Vance joining U.S. envoys including Vice President Vance and Waltz on the trip.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensive
Adjective
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Using that platform to engage in partisan attacks and accuse former Department leadership of weaponizing law enforcement is a disgusting betrayal of those values.—
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Continue reading … ‘PRO-CRIMINAL’ – Blue state sheriff unloads on 'disgusting' bill targeting the right to self-defense.—
Adjective
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Tim, Victoria, and Piper The episode begins with an obnoxious fake-out where Tim imagines killing himself, before sending most of the Ratliffs, save Saxon, off to the monastery so Tim and Victoria can have a look around this place where their daughter intends to live for at least a year.—
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In that role, Simpson distinguished himself as a foul-mouthed, intemperate, obnoxious purveyor of misinformation about Social Security.—
Noun
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Ceasefire in tatters The ceasefire that took hold in January paused more than a year of fighting ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel, in which militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took about 250 hostage.—
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The ceasefire started in January, pausing a 15-month war sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.—
Adjective
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This included industrialization, and, with it, the conception of leisure as a way of allowing people to recuperate from work with a temporary escape from the ugly, unhealthy atmosphere of the city.—
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Plus, with fewer games, an ugly two weeks in the NBA usually signals a five-alarm fire and overreactions.—
Adjective
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Restaurants rated unacceptable must close to fix their issues and require reinspection prior to reopening.—
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Americans heading into the 2026 and 2028 elections with a less secure system than in 2020 or 2024 is an unacceptable and avoidable step backward.—
Noun
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The woman, who sued under a Jane Doe pseudonym, told jurors that Way allegedly first raped her in a bathroom during a police raid of his home in mid-February 2019.—
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For now, the Trump administration is loosening rules on commanders conducting military raids and airstrikes, expanding the range of people and places that can be targeted.—
Adjective
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Failure to invest in protecting the vulnerable likely means the current awful trends will continue.—
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There are so many connections between all these awful people.—
Adjective
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Is that commercial piece the most objectionable part of the package?—
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Powell understood the inherent unpredictability of military intervention, especially against a regime that, while objectionable, might be the one thing binding a society together.—
Cite this Entry
“Offensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensive. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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