Offensive

1. Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, or hatred.
2. Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.
3. (sports) Having to do with play directed at scoring.

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "offensive" is often applied: content, material, language, word, comment, remark, statement, speech, joke, humor, image, picture, art, behavior, conduct, act, action.
• When the second syllable is emphasized, "offensive" is defined as "insulting". When the first syllable is emphasized, it refers to the attacker in a conflict or a sport.

Synonyms

• aggressive
• invidious (Intending to cause envious offense)