offended; offending; offends
1
a
: to transgress (see transgress sense transitive 1) the moral or divine law : sin
if it be a sin to covet honor, I am the most offending soul alive—William Shakespeare
b
: to violate a law or rule : do wrong
offend against the law
2
a
: to cause difficulty, discomfort, or injury
took off his shoe and removed the offending pebble
b
: to cause dislike, anger, or vexation
thoughtless words that offend needlessly
1
a
: violate, transgress
a contract not offending a statute … might still be in restraint of trade—C. A. Cooke
b
: to cause pain to : hurt
tasteless billboards that offend the eye
2
obsolete
: to cause to sin or fall
3
: to cause (a person or group) to feel hurt, angry, or upset by something said or done
was offended by their language
She carefully worded her comments so as not to offend anyone.
offender
noun
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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