offensive

adjective

1 he described the remarks as deeply offensive:

insulting, rude, derogatory, disrespectful, hurtful, wounding, abusive, objectionable, displeasing, annoying, exasperating, irritating, vexing, galling, provocative, provoking, humiliating, impertinent, impudent, insolent, personal, discourteous, uncivil, impolite, unmannerly, unacceptable, shocking, scandalous, outrageous;

crude, vulgar, coarse, indecent, improper;

rare exceptionable.

▷antonyms complimentary, polite.

2 an offensive smell:

unpleasant, disagreeable, nasty, distasteful, displeasing, objectionable, off-putting, uninviting, awful, terrible, dreadful, frightful, obnoxious, abominable, disgusting, repulsive, repellent, repugnant, revolting, abhorrent, loathsome, hateful, detestable, execrable, odious, vile, foul, unsavoury, unpalatable, sickening, nauseating, nauseous, ugly, unsightly;

noxious, fetid, rank, rancid, malodorous, mephitic;

informal ghastly, horrible, horrid, gross, putrid, sick-making, yucky, godawful;

British, informal beastly;

Northern Irish, informal bogging;

Australian, informal on the nose;

North American, informal skanky;

literary noisome;

archaic disgustful, loathly.

▷antonyms pleasant, delightful.

3 an offensive air action against another country:

hostile, attacking, aggressive, invading, incursive, combative, threatening, martial, warlike, belligerent, bellicose, antagonistic, on the attack.

▷antonyms defensive.

noun

a military offensive against the guerrillas:

attack, assault, onslaught, drive, invasion, push, thrust, charge, sortie, sally, foray, raid, offence, act of war, act of aggression, incursion, blitz, campaign.

□ take the offensive

security forces took the offensive ten days ago:

begin to attack, attack first, be aggressive, strike the first blow, start a war/battle/quarrel;

informal be on the warpath.

choose the right word

offensive, derogatory, insulting

These words all describe remarks or behaviour that cause offence or distress, unconsciously or intentionally.

■ Offensiveremarks or behaviour make someone hurt, upset, or angry, whether or not the speaker realizes or intends this (the wording was unnecessarily offensive | the work is trite and offensive to women). An offensive term for a person, such as someone of a particular ethnic type, may offend others, not just those of that ethnicity.

■ A derogatory comment is deliberately intended to express a low opinion of someone or something (derogatory racial remarks | I found myself repelled by the use of derogatory nicknames).

■ Insultinglanguage or behaviour shows a lack of respect (the Minister's reply is arrogant and insulting | the cartoon is insulting to men). It is generally, but not necessarily, intended to upset or annoy.

offensive Oxford Dictionary of English