offensive

Offensive is a word with several related but distinct uses in English. As an adjective, it describes actions, language, or content that are likely to insult, upset, or anger someone. What is considered offensive depends on the speaker, the audience, and the cultural or social context; norms vary and power dynamics can shape judgments about what’s acceptable or harmful.

In a military sense, an offensive refers to a planned, sustained campaign to seize territory, defeat an opponent, or gain a strategic advantage. It contrasts with a defensive posture, which aims to repel attacks and protect territory. The term can also describe the period of active attack within a larger war.

In sports, particularly in American usage, offensive describes the group, plays, or strategies aimed at scoring points and gaining field position, opposite to defense. In media, law, and policy, the term is used to classify content as offensive when it is judged to be insulting or harmful; debates about free expression, censorship, and protection from discrimination commonly address such judgments.

Etymology: Offensive derives from offense, from Latin offensus and offendere, with the suffix -ive. The noun offense denotes an act that causes resentment, harm, or violation of norms or laws, while the adjective offensive describes anything pertaining to such an act or its impact.