offensive

/əˈfɛnsɪv/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: offensives

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

gây ra sự xúc phạm, tạo phản ứng tiêu cực

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

Some people find pornography offensive.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

liên quan đến cuộc tấn công, trái ngược với phòng thủ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

The army's offensive capabilities. An offensive weapon.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

An attack.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

một cuộc tấn công

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

The Marines today launched a major offensive.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

The posture of attacking or being able to attack.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

tư thế tấn công hoặc có thể tấn công

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

He took the offensive in the press, accusing his opponent of corruption.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “offensive” mean?

Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation.

Is “offensive” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.