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
Relevance
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of offensive
Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
Running back Breece Hall is averaging 5.3 yards a carry despite an inconsistent offensive start, and Fields is a threat to tuck and go at any moment.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Yamiche Alcindor, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offensive
Adjective
Mizzou should have a blast getting through Auburn’s offensive line this week.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
Running back Breece Hall is averaging 5.3 yards a carry despite an inconsistent offensive start, and Fields is a threat to tuck and go at any moment.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
Speaking on Al-Araby TV, a Qatari television network, Hamdan said the first phase of the deal would meet the important demand of the Palestinian people, to stop Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip.
—Yamiche Alcindor, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the deaths were women and children.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offensive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensive
Adjective
-
Add in moisture and soap scum, and kitchen sinks can get pretty disgusting.—
Halee Miller Van Ryswyk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In Johnston’s reimagining, Jim and Credenza Twit operate the most disgusting, dangerous, and idiotic amusement park in the world, Twitlandia.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And Chalamet never once came across as grating, obnoxious, or desperate.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Chelsea, with her ridiculous request for a rug brought from home, may very well be obnoxious.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Islamists were seen as complicit in India’s worst plane hijack in 1999 and the 2008 attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, which killed several Indian citizens, including two senior diplomats.—
Happymon Jacob,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Shannon will man larger perimeter players, but not necessarily the point of attack as often.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Like Mitchell, Estrada has a knack for softening the sharp edges of our emotions and finding beauty in our ugly truths.—
Cat Cardenas,
Rolling Stone,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The results were … predictably ugly for the Warriors.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This is an unacceptable physical and emotional power dynamic, even in a fantasy.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Anything less than the protection of creators and their rights is unacceptable.—
Erik Hayden,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
What about the argument that ICE raids will create jobs for American workers?—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Zion Church was subject to an earlier raid and shutdown in 2018, during a previous crackdown on independent churches.—
Chandelis Duster,
NPR,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Only instead of ignoring or burying this awful truth, Kai travels the world, speaking at synagogues and in Jewish community centers about his family’s dark past — and at high schools and colleges to ensure that the atrocities of Nazi Germany are never forgotten or sanitized.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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Stanford has been awful on the road, losing to Hawaii and getting blown out by BYU and Virginia.—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Reading certain books felt like an objectionable act for Emily Zarka as a kid in 1990s Vermont.—
Jose R. Gonzalez,
AZCentral.com,
15 Oct. 2025
-
More recently, the Biden administration pressured social media companies to take down content the administration deemed objectionable, overriding the companies’ judgment and forcing them to comply.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offensive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensive. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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