1 very rude or insulting and likely to upset people [≠ inoffensive]:
offensive behaviour
offensive behaviour2 formal very unpleasant :
an offensive smell
an offensive smell4 American EnglishDS relating to getting points and winning a game, rather than stopping the other team from getting points [≠ defensive]:
the Jets' offensive strategy
the Jets' offensive strategy —offensively adverb:
Rick's remarks were offensively racist.
Rick's remarks were offensively racist. —offensiveness noun [uncountable]