as in sarcasms
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insulted their hosts by casually remarking about the outdated look of their home
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of insults
Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
The scuffles came amid an already intense night, with tensions fueled by a brutal press conference on Thursday for the title fight between Lopez and Stevenson, during which the boxers exchanged insults about each other’s family members.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
While Foxx’s Fred thrived on theatrics and biting insults, Wilson’s Lamont was the show’s grounding force.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon , Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
This happens often enough when one administration succeeds another, to be sure, with the new team insisting that its predecessors were idiots, but the Hegseth Pentagon carries such insults to a new level.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
The only way to stand up to divide-and-conquer is to engage through collective action, focusing on fighting fire with facts without sinking to the level of personal insults.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
The crowd, rapidly swelling into the hundreds, screamed insults and obscenities at the agents, some of whom shouted back mockingly.
—Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The crowd, rapidly swelling into the hundreds, screamed insults and obscenities at the agents, some of whom shouted back mockingly.
—Jack Brook, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
Below, a helpful guide to some of the most memorable insults and words of praise contained in the Swift-Lively texts.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The paddling comes as revenge for multiple times Marty insults the businessman throughout the movie.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Basil, of course, is far from perfect, a rude, neurotic, accident-prone manager who insults guests, hides his gambling winnings from his wife and organizes an elaborate impersonation of her when his surprise anniversary party backfires.
—Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
Attorney General Pam Bondi insults Democrats in Senate hearing.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Noun
Rockrohr used both sides of this visual coin, telling of groundwork done by the late Harry Teshima to bring Black residents into the community and tales of lasting friendships and stories of insults thrown at Black students.
—Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
The scuffles came amid an already intense night, with tensions fueled by a brutal press conference on Thursday for the title fight between Lopez and Stevenson, during which the boxers exchanged insults about each other’s family members.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
While Foxx’s Fred thrived on theatrics and biting insults, Wilson’s Lamont was the show’s grounding force.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon , Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
This happens often enough when one administration succeeds another, to be sure, with the new team insisting that its predecessors were idiots, but the Hegseth Pentagon carries such insults to a new level.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
The only way to stand up to divide-and-conquer is to engage through collective action, focusing on fighting fire with facts without sinking to the level of personal insults.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
The crowd, rapidly swelling into the hundreds, screamed insults and obscenities at the agents, some of whom shouted back mockingly.
—Jack Brook, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The crowd, rapidly swelling into the hundreds, screamed insults and obscenities at the agents, some of whom shouted back mockingly.
—Jack Brook, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
Below, a helpful guide to some of the most memorable insults and words of praise contained in the Swift-Lively texts.
—Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
As the President insults allies, woos dictators, and spurns long-standing commitments, Rubio has to convince his counterparts that America will not entirely abandon its friends.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The paddling comes as revenge for multiple times Marty insults the businessman throughout the movie.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Basil, of course, is far from perfect, a rude, neurotic, accident-prone manager who insults guests, hides his gambling winnings from his wife and organizes an elaborate impersonation of her when his surprise anniversary party backfires.
—Rhett Bartlett, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
Attorney General Pam Bondi insults Democrats in Senate hearing.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 8 Oct. 2025
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
-
If that language offends you — come on.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Jan. 2026
-
If one employee offends another, they are fired on the spot.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As has always been the case in my life, my main way of responding to political outrages is through writing and reading.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Rideout’s trial, for example, teemed with outrages.—
S. C. Cornell,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In a 30-second clip, Adams is seen leaving a jet bridge while a woman who is walking ahead of him seemingly taunts Adams.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Jan. 2026
-
The two come face-to-face at the end of the episode, during which Callahan taunts Kyle over his wife's murder.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
This time around, aside from warding off mental demons that arose from her crash, Shiffrin, at 30, must also fight the indignities of age.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Williamson’s pugnacious lyrics are grounded in manual labor and local indignities, but Planet X’s malaise transcends any neighborhood or job site, toeing the line between angst and grievance.—
Pete Tosiello,
Pitchfork,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
What once killed campaigns now barely wounds them.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Even with all of them in place, Shirley misses the masked attacker sneaking his way up to the apartment door, and Lamb’s attempt to blind him with bleach creates a chaotic struggle that wounds the assailant without containing him.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
When the time came for Alan Cumming to cease deliberations, Michael was reduced to sputtering epithets in random sequences.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Just a few days earlier in California, a house that had been decorated with lights celebrating Chanukah was riddled with bullets, with the assailant having been heard to yell anti-Jewish epithets.—
Rabbi Steve Roth,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Newsom has trolled Trump for months with social media barbs, delighting some Democratic loyalists who have pushed party leaders and potential 2028 candidates to take a harder line.—
Dave Goldiner,
Mercury News,
20 Jan. 2026
-
In fairness, even Amorim sidestepped the barbs of Keane.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Public spaces are routinely polluted by blaring music packed with profanity and racial slurs, and no one thinks twice about it.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Ellis then claimed that Cardi cut her face with a fingernail and spat on her while yelling profanity and racial slurs at Ellis.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insults.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insults. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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