as in attacks
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
the primary offensive by the ground forces will commence at dawn tomorrow
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Recent Examples of offensives
Since the army broke the siege on el-Obeid last year, the RSF has launched multiple offensives in attempts to reestablish the siege from several directions.
—
ABC News,
24 June 2026
By targeting logistics hubs and resource stockpiles, Ukraine is attacking the systems that sustain Russian offensives.
—
Aidan Stretch,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
The twin offensives are targeting Hamas and Hezbollah respectively, though critics argue that the operations are motivated at least in part by domestic politics — Israel is due to hold elections by October — and are amplifying troubling humanitarian situations in Gaza and Lebanon.
—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
In response, guerrilla groups of liberals and the left emerged, gathering thousands of people in rural areas and launching offensives against the army.
—
Roberto Andrés,
The Dial,
28 May 2026
The Oilers won nine series in the last four years and represented the West in unsuccessful offensives against the Florida Panthers in each of the past two Junes.
—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Putin is widely expected to launch new offensives as the weather in Ukraine improves, piling further pressure on Kyiv.
—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
From these footholds, Indonesian special forces organized and launched offensives against Fretilin to force its retreat.
—
Agathe Demarolle,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Nation-states now pair kinetic strikes with digital offensives.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Mar. 2026
ABC News,
24 June 2026
By targeting logistics hubs and resource stockpiles, Ukraine is attacking the systems that sustain Russian offensives.
—
Aidan Stretch,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
The twin offensives are targeting Hamas and Hezbollah respectively, though critics argue that the operations are motivated at least in part by domestic politics — Israel is due to hold elections by October — and are amplifying troubling humanitarian situations in Gaza and Lebanon.
—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
In response, guerrilla groups of liberals and the left emerged, gathering thousands of people in rural areas and launching offensives against the army.
—
Roberto Andrés,
The Dial,
28 May 2026
The Oilers won nine series in the last four years and represented the West in unsuccessful offensives against the Florida Panthers in each of the past two Junes.
—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
Putin is widely expected to launch new offensives as the weather in Ukraine improves, piling further pressure on Kyiv.
—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
From these footholds, Indonesian special forces organized and launched offensives against Fretilin to force its retreat.
—
Agathe Demarolle,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 Mar. 2026
Nation-states now pair kinetic strikes with digital offensives.
—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offensives
Noun
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The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
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Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Noun
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After Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles, several people filed a lawsuit in July 2025 alleging authorities questioned them without justification.
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The raids were part of Operation Broken Blade, a federal crackdown on activity along the Figueroa corridor.
Noun
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Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining its military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount assaults along the front.
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Ukrainian officials describe the strikes as a campaign to pressure Moscow to end the war by undermining military logistics and supply lines and weakening its ability to mount front-line assaults.
Noun
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One interesting trend is that this tournament will feature some very good tight ends, a position that has become increasingly important in college football and the NFL but not so much in high school football in the era of spread offenses.
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Cavalli was not using this as a racial slur, but plenty of black athletes have used it to demean white people without the league getting involved, without suspensions, and zero fines for their offenses.
Noun
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Russia appeared to be flexing its military muscle in a show of force with its latest aerial onslaughts on Ukraine.
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Wardley, 31, had never lost in 21 bouts before Saturday, and somehow withstood numerous onslaughts from Dubois (23-3) without ever touching the canvas in a remarkable display of courage.
Noun
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Vitello, meanwhile, just takes it — macro- and micro-aggressions alike.
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Athens was a belligerent city-state that fell victim to its own aggressions.
Noun
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If the shot is converted, the free throw is worth three points on three-point attempts or two points on two-point attempts.
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Firefighters made several attempts to reach them but were unable to rescue them, per the Akron Beacon Journal.
Noun
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In the longest start of his career, Mize threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of 22 batters and struck out five of his final six.
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Gas prices have started to come down since the preliminary peace deal was announced, but the latest round of strikes has threatened to slow ship traffic through the strait, which carried 20% of the world's oil before the war.
Cite this Entry
“Offensives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offensives. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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