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offensive - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'offensive' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Offensive [ a.]
- Giving offense; causing displeasure or resentment; displeasing; annoying; as, offensive words.
- Giving pain or unpleasant sensations; disagreeable; revolting; noxious; as, an offensive smell; offensive sounds.
- Making the first attack; assailant; aggressive; hence, used in attacking; -- opposed to defensive; as, an offensive war; offensive weapons.
2 . Offensive [ n.]
- The state or posture of one who offends or makes attack; aggressive attitude; the act of the attacking party; -- opposed to defensive.

Meaning of 'offensive' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . offensive [ a]
Meaning (1):
- morally offensive
Example in sentence:
  • an unsavory reputation;
  • an unsavory scandal
Meaning (2):
- unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses
Example in sentence:
  • offensive odors
Meaning (3):
- causing anger or annoyance
Example in sentence:
  • offensive remarks
Meaning (4):
- for the purpose of attack rather than defense
Example in sentence:
  • offensive weapons
5 . offensive [ s]
Meaning (5):
- causing or able to cause nausea
Example in sentence:
  • a nauseating smell;
  • a sickening stench;
  • nauseous offal
Meaning (6):
- violating or tending to violate or offend against
Example in sentence:
  • considered such depravity offensive against all laws of humanity;
  • violative of the principles of liberty

Nearby Words:

off offal offcut offence offend offendant offended offender offending offendress

See 'offensive' also in:

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