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 + atShe takes offense at any criticism.
Examples of take offense in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
No intelligent person — which, Christie concedes, Haley is — fears that normal people would take offense from her uttering something that is both incessantly discussed and self-evidently true.
—
Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 1 Jan. 2024
First-year Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson appeared to take offense to the Chiefs' coaching staff going for it.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 9 Sep. 2023
Audrey smiled, but she’s been known to take offense when ElliQ is spoken to harshly.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2023
Like most satires, The Blackening won’t be everyone’s cup of tea; there’ll undoubtedly be those who will take offense to the film’s irreverent takes on Black culture.
—Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 20 June 2023
Some folks may take offense to the use of the term.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 June 2023
The image was not a satirical drawing but an illustration from medieval Persia, and López Prater gave advance warning, allowing any student who might take offense to leave.
—Russell Jacoby, Harper's Magazine, 16 Feb. 2023
The comments that followed ranged from utter ignorance that anyone could take offense at receiving a link, to a spirited embrace of the power move.
—Nicole Gull McElroy, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2022
Klara does not take offense, but readers feel the question’s sting.
—Heller McAlpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2021
Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 1 Jan. 2024
First-year Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson appeared to take offense to the Chiefs' coaching staff going for it.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 9 Sep. 2023
Audrey smiled, but she’s been known to take offense when ElliQ is spoken to harshly.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2023
Like most satires, The Blackening won’t be everyone’s cup of tea; there’ll undoubtedly be those who will take offense to the film’s irreverent takes on Black culture.
—Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 20 June 2023
Some folks may take offense to the use of the term.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 10 June 2023
The image was not a satirical drawing but an illustration from medieval Persia, and López Prater gave advance warning, allowing any student who might take offense to leave.
—Russell Jacoby, Harper's Magazine, 16 Feb. 2023
The comments that followed ranged from utter ignorance that anyone could take offense at receiving a link, to a spirited embrace of the power move.
—Nicole Gull McElroy, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2022
Klara does not take offense, but readers feel the question’s sting.
—Heller McAlpin, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 Mar. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'take offense.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near take offense
Cite this Entry
“Take offense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20offense. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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