insult 1 of 2

Definition of insultnext

insult

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word insult distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of insult are affront, offend, and outrage. While all these words mean "to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment," insult suggests deliberately causing humiliation, hurt pride, or shame.

insulted every guest at the party

When might affront be a better fit than insult?

The synonyms affront and insult are sometimes interchangeable, but affront implies treating with deliberate rudeness or contemptuous indifference to courtesy.

deeply affronted by his callousness

When would offend be a good substitute for insult?

The words offend and insult are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, offend need not imply an intentional hurting but it may indicate merely a violation of the victim's sense of what is proper or fitting.

hoped that my remarks had not offended her

Where would outrage be a reasonable alternative to insult?

The words outrage and insult can be used in similar contexts, but outrage implies offending beyond endurance and calling forth extreme feelings.

outraged by their accusations

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insult
Noun
Just being in the room and coming up with these really mean-spirited insults and the kind of backstabbing that those performers played so brilliantly and just elevated with every choice. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 June 2026 To Paré-Poupart, this reality is not just a planetary insult but also a personal one. Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026
Verb
Perhaps Boone did not want to insult the other starting pitchers in his clubhouse, but there isn’t another American League starter in the same stratosphere as Schlittler this season. Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 20 June 2026 The appearance eventually escalated into a fight between the pair with pool noodles after Damon insulted Kimmel’s parents and Kimmel insisted this stunt did not mean Kimmel was on the show. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for insult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insult
Noun
  • Bluth family at the show's center, while Howard narrated the action with plenty of sarcasm.
    Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 29 June 2026
  • Avoid using silence, sarcasm or strategic distance when direct language would resolve the issue faster.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Feeling offended by opinions that differ from yours?
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 26 June 2026
  • Evans, a 6-foot-6 guard from Duke, said he wasn’t offended by prognostications that place him late in the first round.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • Hard fouls are routinely minimized, and meaningful discipline often arrives only after public outrage forces the league's hand.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • But his qualms weren’t about the level of destruction in Gaza or the high civilian toll, both of which drew global outrage.
    Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • Though the indignity ran deep, our ancestors refused to bow.
    John E. Jackson Sr, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
  • The family members either submitted to the indignities—the false testimony, the obscene bullet fees—or were asked for bribes as high as $7,000 to avoid consigning their relatives to mass graves.
    Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Morgan responded with a slap and brush off of the voodoo.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2026
  • Devers petulantly left the field, avoided handshakes and butt slaps in the dugout, and retreated to the clubhouse.
    Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • Several independent Turkish media outlets were denied accreditation to cover an upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, journalism groups said Thursday, calling the decision an affront to media freedoms.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 June 2026
  • Messi began the face-off yesterday by scoring twice at lunchtime in Dallas, but Mbappe and Haaland appeared to see that as a personal affront, matching him as the sun set in Philadelphia and New Jersey.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • The epithet is not a concession (the database of Trumpian apologies has yet to receive any inputs).
    Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
  • Tape recordings played during the case also showed Fuhrman had used a racial epithet despite his testimony claiming to never have done so.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Insult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insult. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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