take offense

idiom

: to become angry or upset by something that another person has said or done : to be offended by something
He took offense when I suggested exchanging the gift.
often + at
She takes offense at any criticism.

Examples of take offense in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Mama Rose needn’t take offense – the six-time Tony winner has the same decade-or-more aversion to all the cast recordings she’s made over the course of her groundbreaking career. Joe Lynch, Billboard, 15 Oct. 2025 And mods are bound to take offense to Reddit's announcement, especially given the company's history. Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 16 Sep. 2025 Staff and guests expressed disbelief that anyone would take offense at someone drinking legally in a place that caters to adults. Matthew Impelli, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025 Basically, people are thin-skinned and quick to take offense. Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for take offense

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Cite this Entry

“Take offense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20offense. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.

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