as in offences
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
panelists on that political talk show simply exchange insults, not ideas
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in offends
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
insulted their hosts by casually remarking about the outdated look of their home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insults
Jenna West, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Antoni, a former Heritage Foundation economist, had come under fire for his history of social media posts that used economic stats for partisan purposes, sexist remarks, and insults targeting gay TV anchors.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Many of the European players were subjected to dreadful abuse from the galleries, unprintable vulgarities and some deeply personal insults.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
McIlroy has faced the brunt of the insults from spectators, who also jeered and yelled at his wife throughout the weekend.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
During the speech, however, Kemp periodically deviated from building up Astra to hurling insults at several of his competitors in the launch industry.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Kimmel has been a frequent target, with the two trading insults.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
Young Thug wasn’t the only target, however, as his girlfriend, Mariah The Scientist, also caught a few shots for entertaining Thugger’s insults over the phone.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Egyptian influencers linked to intelligence fronts launched vicious personal attacks, including ethnic slurs, against the Saudi royal family and graphic insults targeting the crown prince.
—Khaled Hassan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
No matter how many times Putin insults the president and ignores his calls for a total ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump returns for more humiliation.
—Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
On Saturday, McIlroy repeatedly had to step away from his golf ball as spectators shouted obscenities and personal insults at the Irishman.
—Jenna West, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Antoni, a former Heritage Foundation economist, had come under fire for his history of social media posts that used economic stats for partisan purposes, sexist remarks, and insults targeting gay TV anchors.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
Many of the European players were subjected to dreadful abuse from the galleries, unprintable vulgarities and some deeply personal insults.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
McIlroy has faced the brunt of the insults from spectators, who also jeered and yelled at his wife throughout the weekend.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
During the speech, however, Kemp periodically deviated from building up Astra to hurling insults at several of his competitors in the launch industry.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
Kimmel has been a frequent target, with the two trading insults.
—Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025
Young Thug wasn’t the only target, however, as his girlfriend, Mariah The Scientist, also caught a few shots for entertaining Thugger’s insults over the phone.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Egyptian influencers linked to intelligence fronts launched vicious personal attacks, including ethnic slurs, against the Saudi royal family and graphic insults targeting the crown prince.
—Khaled Hassan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
In the case of Governor Pritzker insults his body, body shamed him.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
No matter how many times Putin insults the president and ignores his calls for a total ceasefire in Ukraine, Trump returns for more humiliation.
—Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insults
Verb
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Think of the chatbots that enrage customers, copy that erases brand voice, email that offends prospects, or sales outreach that overwhelms without engaging.—
Andrea Hill,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Content that outrages, polarizes or triggers anxiety keeps us watching.—
Avital Pardo,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Long Walk is unsparing in its depiction of violence, as well as the other indignities the boys face along the way.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
11 Sep. 2025
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Today, the Court needlessly subjects countless more to these exact same indignities.—
Dan Gooding
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Garraty is forced to slap himself across the face to stay awake as Barkovitch taunts him.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
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In the present day, Ellen watches as MacKinny taunts Colum in front of a crowd of onlookers and rushes to stand by his side.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Use chapter titles or epithets to set up what’s coming.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
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Then there was the woman who was Speaker of the House and would walk around talking to herself, screaming out epithets to imaginary people.—
Larry David,
New Yorker,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Set against Mumbai’s relentless pulse, their delicate connection faces tests as personal histories, desires, and wounds resurface.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
2 Sep. 2025
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No policy wounds Tibetan dignity more profoundly than attempts to co-opt its spiritual and institutional heart.—
Tenzin Dorjee,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kimmel and Damon have playfully traded barbs over the past two decades since that moment, roping others like Ben Affleck, Sarah Silverman, and Tom Brady into their shenanigans.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
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While politicians continue to trade insults and barbs on social media over the partial federal government shutdown, federal officials have taken another step toward increasing the use of coal power.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Oregon fans also chanted in 2022, and in 2021, USC fans directed slurs toward BYU fans.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Once, homophobic and antisemitic slurs were common.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insults.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insults. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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