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offensive

[uh-fen-siv, aw-fen-, of-en-] / əˈfɛn sɪv, ˈɔ fɛn-, ˈɒf ɛn- /




Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After the Keane red card, referees' boss Howard Webb was very clear that hair pulling was "quite an offensive thing".

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

But the early season shooting display was a fleeting offensive highlight for LaRavia.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

An elite two-point shooter for the Spartans, VanSlooten has a high motor on the offensive side and can play a quick defensive game.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

“China’s offensive strategy allows them to control the supply chain,” said Tomasz Nadrowski, a longtime investor in critical minerals and author of a recent book on China’s sector dominance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

In April 1917, an offensive by British and Canadian troops at the city of Arras in northern France bogged down in sleet, snow, and ankle-deep mud.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman




Vocabulary lists containing offensive