insulting

1 of 2

adjective

in·​sult·​ing in-ˈsəl-tiŋ 

: giving or intended to give offense : being or containing an insult (see insult entry 2 sense 1)

Without the wit, of course, such sentiments would be construed as deeply insulting …

—The American Scholar

… pasted insulting bumper stickers on their vehicles …

—James A. Michener

… considered the proposal so impracticable as to be insulting.

—Alice Adams

The book is "dumbed down" to an almost insulting level.

—Joel Bangilan

insultingly

in-ˈsəl-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

But always his triumphs are the triumphs of a highly sensitive man: a man must feel insults before he can so insultingly and splendidly avenge them.

—G. K. Chesterton

He is a gifted preacher, fashioning sermons that are neither inaccessibly erudite nor insultingly shallow.

—Kevin Sack

insulting

2 of 2

present participle of insult entry 1

Examples of insulting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Alex Jenkinson, 39, is accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior toward the former prince, whose royal titles were removed last year by King Charles III due to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. —Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026

In a February 2025 meeting, Grimes made profane and insulting comments to another Uber lawyer, the filing said. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 8 May 2026

Alex Jenkinson, 39, is due at Norwich Magistrates Court on Friday to face two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior to harass someone or cause alarm or distress. —ABC News, 8 May 2026

The mayor at the time, Dean Koldenhoven, vetoed the buyout, calling it insulting to Muslims. —Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for insulting

• consulting
• exulting
• resulting