offensive
Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation.
Adjective 3 meanings
Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation.
Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.
“The army's offensive capabilities. An offensive weapon.”
Having to do with play directed at scoring.
“The offensive coordinator is responsible for ordering all rushing plays.”
Noun 2 meanings
An attack.
“The Marines today launched a major offensive.”
The posture of attacking or being able to attack.
“He took the offensive in the press, accusing his opponent of corruption.”
Etymology
From Middle French offensif, from offendre + -if by analogy with défensif. Offendre is from Latin offendere (“to offend”); see offend.
Similar and opposite words
OFFENSIVE at a glance
OFFENSIVE has 9 letters and scores 18 points in Scrabble (O 1 + F 4 + F 4 + E 1 + N 1 + S 1 + I 1 + V 4 + E 1) and 20 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #3,181 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with offensive
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