offend

1
as in to trespass
to commit an offense since this is the first time you've offended, we'll let you off lightly

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word offend distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of offend are affront, insult, and outrage. While all these words 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

Where would affront be a reasonable alternative to offend?

The synonyms affront and offend are sometimes interchangeable, but affront implies treating with deliberate rudeness or contemptuous indifference to courtesy.

deeply affronted by his callousness

When would insult be a good substitute for offend?

In some situations, the words insult and offend are roughly equivalent. However, insult suggests deliberately causing humiliation, hurt pride, or shame.

insulted every guest at the party

When might outrage be a better fit than offend?

The words outrage and offend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, outrage implies offending beyond endurance and calling forth extreme feelings.

outraged by their accusations

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of offend Linehan shared the allegedly offending X posts on his Substack page. Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025 Stop watering down your message to avoid offending anyone. Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 However, Jones became offended that Parsons wanted his agent involved after Jones felt the pair had a deal. Troy Renck, Denver Post, 29 Aug. 2025 Sammy Hagar isn't offended by David Lee Roth's comments about his new song. Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for offend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offend
Verb
  • The driver refuses to get out and argues that police are trespassing on private property.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
  • An investigation revealed the suspect had trespassed and peered into a home through a glass door.
    Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Some drivers also insult and demean people with disabilities or refuse reasonable requests such as letting passengers with mobility impairments sit in the front seat.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
  • These summaries read like a bad high school essay and insult your audience's intelligence.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Polish airspace was violated by at least 19 Russian drones overnight, the country's prime minister said, in a torrent of activity that triggered a response from the NATO country's air force, which scrambled and downed several of the drones.
    Will Gretsky, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • In a 21-page ruling, Talwani found that ICE holding an 18-year-old migrant arrested on charges of shoplifting without a bond hearing violated his due process rights.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • National Weather Service meteorologists consider forecasting waterspouts during the late summer and fall whenever large, cool air masses overspread the waters of the Great Lakes.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The Department of Buildings told CBS News New York and News 12 Long Island that a 10-by-10-inch section of the ceiling collapsed due to possible water damage, and pieces of the building fell on customers dining inside.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • If that fact alone doesn’t outrage you, consider what this disregard of constitutional rights means for you.
    Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Arriving in America, Ann and her followers are outraged by their first sight of a slave auction.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Her task now is simply to wander, wait and listen.
    Ari Daniel, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Despite its common name, this creature wasn’t simply a lion that wandered into the Americas.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Offend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offend. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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