1
as in to trespass
to commit an offense
since this is the first time you've offended, we'll let you off lightly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to insult
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
the visitor unintentionally offended his hosts terribly by failing to compliment them on the elaborately prepared meal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to violate
to fail to keep
offended conventional standards of uniformity by not adhering to the company dress code
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of offend
No one around the table can be offended or object to the joke.
—
Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025
It was intentionally designed to provoke, to offend, and to remind us that bigotry is still alive and well in certain corners of local leadership.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
While most scented soaps do a mediocre job of masking food smells with harsh, cheap fragrances, Naomi’s scrub neutralizes offending odors with bread-yeast enzymes, then leaves behind subtle, but incredibly luxurious notes of bergamot, black pepper, sandalwood, and ginger.
—Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
By that time the show had provoked a wave of excited condemnation from commentators online who seemed most consistently offended by the bodysuit printed with the (hairy) image of a (totally) naked male body worn by a female model.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offend
Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025
It was intentionally designed to provoke, to offend, and to remind us that bigotry is still alive and well in certain corners of local leadership.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
While most scented soaps do a mediocre job of masking food smells with harsh, cheap fragrances, Naomi’s scrub neutralizes offending odors with bread-yeast enzymes, then leaves behind subtle, but incredibly luxurious notes of bergamot, black pepper, sandalwood, and ginger.
—Editors Of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
By that time the show had provoked a wave of excited condemnation from commentators online who seemed most consistently offended by the bodysuit printed with the (hairy) image of a (totally) naked male body worn by a female model.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offend
Verb
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More than two years after the fatal shooting, Lorincz maintained her side of the story that the kids had trespassed on her property and threatened her life.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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On Monday, authorities received reports of a shirtless man trespassing at a residence in Bedias – located about 150 miles south of Alvarado – the previous day, the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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No woman, under any circumstance, deserves to be insulted or humiliated.—
Megan Cartwright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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Lee will later pop in to see Dan, the storefront lawyer next door, just to insult him by requesting a recommendation for a good lawyer.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In August 2024, the Hales Corners Library Board voted unanimously to keep the books in the library's circulation and concluded Lewis-Lane and library staff did not violate library policies.—
Adrienne Davis,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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But Comey's attorneys raised separate concerns that by using those materials at all, the government may have violated Comey's rights -- not just by reviewing potentially privileged information, but also by revisiting evidence obtained by warrants that would now be considered stale.—
Alexander Mallin,
ABC News,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Two things happened on that blustery back-to-school morning that fell exactly a month after my eleventh birthday.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
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Midway through the third quarter, true freshman linebacker Mason Posa, buried on the depth chart just weeks ago, ripped the ball loose at Washington’s 7-yard line and fell on it himself.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The thought that a cannabis retail store could one day open near his youth hockey training center in Stillwater has outraged LumberYard Hockey and Sports Center co-owner Lee Erickson.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
26 Oct. 2025
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Naroditsky's death at age 29 outraged his supporters in the chess world, who said he'd been bullied relentlessly by Kramnik, a former world champion who has accused many players of cheating in online play.—
Jason Abbruzzese,
NBC news,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Rio has several bairros, or neighborhoods, but Barros prefers to wander the winding streets of the bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood, a hilly district with an artistic vibe, colonial architecture, and panoramic views of the city.—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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Kyle MacLachlan was wandering around the Paramour Estate in Silver Lake, the lavish former home of silent film star Antonio Moreno and his wife and oil heiress Daisey Canfield last night.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offend. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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