offensive Definition
- 1causing someone to feel deeply hurt, upset, or angry
- 2relating to the team that has possession of the ball or puck in a game
Using offensive: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "offensive" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
His comments were deeply offensive to many people.
Example
The team's offensive strategy was to keep the ball moving quickly.
Example
I found her behavior towards me to be quite offensive.
offensive Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for offensive
- insulting
- abusive
- rude
- disrespectful
- provocative
Antonyms for offensive
Phrases with offensive
Example
She took offense at his comments about her appearance.
Example
He didn't mean to give offense, but his comments were insensitive.
the group of players on a football team who are responsible for protecting the quarterback and blocking the defense
Example
The offensive line did a great job of keeping the defense away from the quarterback.
Origins of offensive
from Old French 'offensif', from Latin 'offensivus', from 'offensus' (past participle of 'offendere'), meaning 'strike against'
Summary: offensive in Brief
The term 'offensive' [əˈfɛnsɪv] describes something that causes deep hurt, upset, or anger. It can refer to behavior, comments, or actions. In sports, it refers to the team that has possession of the ball or puck. Examples include 'His comments were deeply offensive to many people.' and 'The team's offensive strategy was to keep the ball moving quickly.'