offensive Definition

offensive
adj

1. Giving or likely to give offence; insulting.

Thesaurus: insulting, impudent, irritating, impertinent, rude, obnoxious, intolerable.
2. Unpleasant, disgusting and repulsive, especially to the senses.

Example: an offensive smell
Thesaurus: revolting, obnoxious, rank, nasty, indecent, dirty, intolerable; Antonym: agreeable, pleasant, likeable.
3. sport.military, etc.
Used for attacking.
Example: offensive weapons

noun

1. An aggressive action or attitude.

Example: go on the offensive
Thesaurus: attack, assault, drive, onslaught.
2. An attack.
3. A great or aggressive effort to achieve something.

Example: a peace offensive

Derivative: offensively
adverb

Derivative: offensiveness
noun

Etymology: 16c.