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offensive

offensive

240 5.6
Intended to attack rather than defend
  • adjective
  • /əˈfɛn.sɪv/
translation icon : ofensivo
  • The team's offensive strategy was effective in breaking through the opponent's defense.
  • offensive and defensive
  • offensive weapons
  • an offensive operation

How do you explain that in the framework of offensive realism?

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Examples

  • Unlike all of the other applications I've discussed, offensive autonomous weapons are designed to inflict damage and kill people.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Not enough to give effect to offensive plans, especially to surprise attacks.

    Academic text (1991)
  • It's designed to be offensive.

  • ...on a national charm offensive tour.

  • Could be construed as an offensive weapon.

  • That's an offensive weapon, that is.

  • Recently, however, it has become clear we cannot rely solely on offensive retaliation to maintain peace.

  • But the sky hook in particular, it's the most devastating offensive weapon in any sport that I've ever seen.

  • In short, the basis of military artistry was an arm of superior offensive power and mobility.

    Academic text (1990)
  • They planned an aggressive offensive campaign to secure their position in the tournament.

Synonyms

assaultive
vsoffensive
  • NSFW
2 8.2

Likely to attack or hurt other people physically

is meant for use in attack rather than simply showing aggressive tendency
attacking
vsoffensive
4.3

Showing strong behavior to try to defeat or pressure others

is intended as a tool or role for attack rather than personal readiness

Antonyms

346 3.8

Made to protect against attack or harm

Idioms

Actively attacking an opponent instead of defending

Begin attacking or acting aggressively to gain an advantage

Compounds

highly offensive
  • Offensive
2 6.6

Very rude and likely to make people feel angry or hurt

1 9.5

A rude word or phrase that insults people for being in a certain group

A large 1918 American attack led by General Pershing, the biggest US operation in World War I

A large Allied attack in World War I where American troops pushed German armies back

offensive activity
  • Offensive
6.3

Bad behavior that shows little respect and hurts others

How Aggressive

belligerent
26 7.5
aggressive
248 3.6
offensive
240 5.6
guarded
4.9
defensive
346 3.8

Surface Forms

offensive positive

Morphology

offensive = offend (transparent) = offend + ive

The adjective is directly formed from the verb 'offend' with the productive suffix '-ive' meaning 'relating to or tending to', yielding the sense 'relating to an attack' when 'offend'/'offense' is understood as 'attack'.

Etymology

Offensive comes from the old Latin word offendere meaning 'to strike against'. It is the same root as offense and offend, so an offensive action is meant to attack or strike rather than to defend.