Antonyms for offensive
| Grammar : Adj, noun |
| Spell : uh-fen-siv or for 4, 5, aw-fen-, of-en- |
| Phonetic Transcription : əˈfɛn sɪv or for 4, 5, ˈɔ fɛn-, ˈɒf ɛn- |
Definition of offensive
Origin :- "attacking" (1540s), "insulting" (1570s), both from Middle French offensif (16c.) and directly from Medieval Latin offensivus, from Latin offens-, past participle stem of offendere "offend" (see offend). Related: Offensively; offensiveness.
- adj disrespectful, insulting; displeasing
- adj attacking
- noun attack
- But it is offensive to man, insulting to the atmosphere, and destructive of him who uses it.
- Extract from : « The Call of the Twentieth Century » by David Starr Jordan
- But for the most part one side in battle is on the offensive; the other on the defensive.
- Extract from : « Camps, Quarters and Casual Places » by Archibald Forbes
- After much exercitation the Germans determined to adhere to the offensive.
- Extract from : « Camps, Quarters and Casual Places » by Archibald Forbes
- Discredited by lapse of time and offensive to the popular taste, as an old book.
- Extract from : « The Devil's Dictionary » by Ambrose Bierce
- Of all unbeautiful and inappropriate conceptions this is the most reasonless and offensive.
- Extract from : « The Devil's Dictionary » by Ambrose Bierce
- We are not all arrayed in two opposite ranks; the offensive and the defensive.
- Extract from : « Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit » by Charles Dickens
- With this hurried adjuration, he cocked his blunderbuss, and stood on the offensive.
- Extract from : « A Tale of Two Cities » by Charles Dickens
- General Lee was encouraged to assume the offensive, and to invade Pennsylvania.
- Extract from : « The Nation in a Nutshell » by George Makepeace Towle
- I think such a remark is offensive only when there is truth in it.
- Extract from : « In a Steamer Chair and Other Stories » by Robert Barr
- Your presence here is offensive to me and distressful to my niece.'
- Extract from : « Barnaby Rudge » by Charles Dickens
Synonyms for offensive
- abhorrent
- abusive
- aggression
- aggressive
- annoying
- assailing
- assailment
- assault
- assaulting
- belligerent
- biting
- cutting
- detestable
- disagreeable
- discourteous
- distasteful
- dreadful
- drive
- embarrassing
- evil
- foul
- ghastly
- grisly
- gross
- hideous
- horrible
- horrid
- impertinent
- insolent
- invading
- invasion
- invidious
- irritating
- nauseating
- objectionable
- obnoxious
- odious
- off-color
- offending
- onset
- onslaught
- opprobrious
- outrageous
- push
- repellent
- reprehensible
- repugnant
- repulsive
- revolting
- rotten
- rude
- shocking
- stinking
- terrible
- uncivil
- unmannerly
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019