offend

verb

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of·fend | \ ə-ˈfend

offended; offending; offends

Definition of offend

intransitive verb

1a : 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

2a : 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

transitive verb

1a : 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.

Other Words from offend Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing offend Learn More About offend

Choose the Right Synonym for offend

offend, outrage, affront, insult mean to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment. 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 outrage implies offending beyond endurance and calling forth extreme feelings. outraged by their accusations affront implies treating with deliberate rudeness or contemptuous indifference to courtesy. deeply affronted by his callousness insult suggests deliberately causing humiliation, hurt pride, or shame. insulted every guest at the party

Examples of offend in a Sentence

His comments about minority groups offended many of us. She had carefully worded her comments so as not to offend anyone. It offends me that you would make such a remark. Don't worry. I wasn't offended. I felt a little offended by their lack of respect. Some people are offended by the song's lyrics. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend. See More

Recent Examples on the Web For the design-obsessed, there are also plenty of aesthetically pleasing fans out there that won't offend your exacting eye. — Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 27 June 2022 Without the burden of respectability, of shouldering stories for an entire community, the show is free to be light, frothy, melodramatic, and unafraid to offend. — Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 29 July 2022 The very question of affordability seemed to offend him. — Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 30 June 2022 Moderate Democrats’ primary aim on culture-war issues is to try not to offend and to offer something to both sides of the fight. — New York Times, 29 June 2022 In hindsight, the one quibble might be the title, since a frequent point is that Black comics don't just have a right to offend, but a need, even an obligation, to make audiences uncomfortable in order to expose larger truths. — Brian Lowry, CNN, 29 June 2022 Lou-Perelman-meets-Suge-Knight mold of manager, J Prince, seized the reigns, and swearing dark oath to the gangsta rap phenomenon, began to script a brutal, derogatory and invasive crew meant to out-offend the Ice-T’s and N.W.A.’s of the world. — Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 28 June 2022 Reluctant to offend anyone, the company satisfied no one. — Jim O'leary, Forbes, 24 June 2022 Well, some of the content’s going to offend everybody. — Nekesa Mumbi Moody, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'offend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for offend

Middle English offenden "to assail, violate, displease, hurt the feelings of," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French offendre, borrowed from Latin offendere "to strike against, stumble (upon), trouble, break a rule, displease, annoy," from of-, assimilated variant of ob- ob- + -fendere presumably, "to strike, hit" (unattested without prefixes) — more at defend