Word Adverb
offensively
adv.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /əˈfɛnsɪvɫi/ UK /əfˈɛnsɪvli/ of·fen·sive·ly
Definition
adv.in a way that is very rude, insulting, or makes you feel angry. You use this to describe something that is meant to hurt someone's feelings.
adv.in a manner that is intended to insult, provoke, or cause offense. Often used to describe speech, behavior, or content that violates social norms.
Examples
“He made an offensively rude comment about her clothes.”
“The advertisement was criticized for being offensively sexist and misleading to the public.”
“The comedian's performance was described as offensively crude by some critics, though others argued it was a necessary satire of the establishment.”
Etymology
From offensive + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated