Meaning & use
offensive
Causing anger, hurt, or resentment because it is rude, insulting, or disrespectful.
See it in a sentence
Several viewers complained that the comedian's jokes were deeply offensive.
He didn't mean to be offensive, but his comment upset everyone at the table.
A note on using this word
Offensive describes something that causes offense; in military contexts, the noun 'offensive' instead means an attacking campaign.
Words with a similar meaning
insultingrude
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
inoffensivepolite
Another way to use it
2. noun
A sustained attack or campaign, especially in warfare, aimed at gaining ground or advantage.
The army launched a major offensive along the northern border at dawn.
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