offensive

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Causing someone to feel hurt, angry, or upset because it is rude or disrespectful.

   Grammar: Can be used with 'more' or 'most': more offensive, most offensive.

   Patterns

   • offensive to someone
   • find something offensive
   • deeply offensive

   His remarks were offensive to many people.

   She found the joke offensive and asked him to stop.

   That kind of language is deeply offensive.

2. 2nouncountablemilitary

   A planned military attack or campaign to gain ground or advantage.

   Grammar: Countable noun: launch an offensive, a major offensive.

   Patterns

   • launch an offensive
   • a major offensive
   • on the offensive

   The army launched an offensive at dawn.

   The offensive was aimed at capturing the capital.

Word forms

Common combinations

offensive to

The advertisement was offensive to women.

deeply offensive

His comments were deeply offensive to the audience.

launch an offensive

The general decided to launch an offensive.

on the offensive

The team went on the offensive in the second half.

Synonyms and how they differ

insulting

Insulting means directly rude to someone; offensive can also mean upsetting to a group or against moral standards.

rude

Rude means impolite; offensive is stronger and suggests causing real hurt or anger.

disrespectful

Disrespectful means showing a lack of respect; offensive often means causing actual offense.

Opposites

Word family

offend verb

To make someone upset or angry.

offense noun

The feeling of being upset or angry, or a crime.

offensively adverb

In a way that causes offense.

Commonly confused: offensive or defensive?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “offensive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words