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Harsh vs Offensive - What's the difference?

harsh | offensive |

As an adjective harsh

is unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.

As a verb harsh

is (slang) to negatively criticize.

As a noun offensive is

offensive (posture of attacking or being able to attack).

harsh

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Unpleasantly rough to the touch or other senses.
  • Severe or cruel.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=November 5 , author=Phil Dawkes , title=QPR 2 - 3 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Great news for City, but the result was harsh on Neil Warnock's side who gave as good as they got even though the odds were stacked against them.}}

    Antonyms

    * genteel

    Verb

    (es)
  • (slang) To negatively criticize.
    • Quit harshing me already, I said that I was sorry!
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  • (slang) to put a damper on (a mood).
    • Dude, you're harshing my buzz.
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    • Synonyms

    * rough

    Derived terms

    * harshly * harshness

    offensive

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, or hatred.
  • Relating to an offense or attack, as opposed to defensive.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author= Ed Pilkington
    • , volume=188, issue=26, page=6, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= ‘Killer robots’ should be banned in advance, UN told , passage=In his submission to the UN, [Christof] Heyns points to the experience of drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles were intended initially only for surveillance, and their use for offensive purposes was prohibited, yet once strategists realised their perceived advantages as a means of carrying out targeted killings, all objections were swept out of the way.}}
  • 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 of a conflict or the team in a sport who possesses the ball.

    Synonyms

    * aggressive * invidious (Intending to cause envious offense)

    Antonyms

    * inoffensive (not causing offense or disgust ) * defensive (relating or causing defence )

    Derived terms

    * offensiveness

    Related terms

    * offend

    Noun

  • (countable, military) An attack.
    • The Marines today launched a major offensive .
  • (uncountable) The posture of attacking or being able to attack.
    • He took the offensive in the press, accusing his opponent of corruption.

    External links

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