1
as in to trespass
to commit an offense
since this is the first time you've offended, we'll let you off lightly
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to insult
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
the visitor unintentionally offended his hosts terribly by failing to compliment them on the elaborately prepared meal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to violate
to fail to keep
offended conventional standards of uniformity by not adhering to the company dress code
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of offend
Temple explained that he was offended still by William’s bristling at his terms.
—
Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Trump said at the time, referring to Catholics who said they were offended by the image.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 4 Oct. 2025
Reporters in the Brady Room earlier this week were greeted by the meme on a loop; the vice president, addressing them on the shutdown, laughed at Democrats who were offended by the trope.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
And faculty worry that teaching certain subject matter and texts might offend students and, if students complain, lead to administrative sanctions.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offend
Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Trump said at the time, referring to Catholics who said they were offended by the image.
—David Ingram, NBC news, 4 Oct. 2025
Reporters in the Brady Room earlier this week were greeted by the meme on a loop; the vice president, addressing them on the shutdown, laughed at Democrats who were offended by the trope.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 Oct. 2025
And faculty worry that teaching certain subject matter and texts might offend students and, if students complain, lead to administrative sanctions.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offend
Verb
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During the 2022 incident, an unknown person motioned toward Newton to arrest Mitchell for trespassing.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
30 Sep. 2025
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Denver7 reported that authorities had received three reports of a suspicious person trespassing on private properties along State Highway 103 this week, including two properties on Peaceful Valley Lane in Idaho Springs on Monday.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hart will insult Hammerstein as a third-rate talent and then, upon being face-to-face with his rival, spews over-the-top compliments.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 Oct. 2025
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The Bronx native appears to be referencing her vicious feud with Nicki Minaj, which became a nasty back-and-forth on social media earlier this month that ended up seeing both artists insulting each other’s children.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Two of Beane’s top free-agent signings, defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, are returning from six-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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The judge ruled that arresting and deporting non-citizen students for such reasons violated the First Amendment.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On a shotgun snap, a handoff slipped out of Bo Nix’s hands, the quarterback falling on it for a loss of four.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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Our 10 favorite Amazon fall fashion staples start at just $10 right now.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Conservatives were particularly outraged by Joe Biden’s higher-ed agenda.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
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That flip reference outraged Pulte.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From wandering rare palm forests to navigating ancient waterways and spotting hundreds of migrating bird species, outdoor enthusiasts have much to explore.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
15 Oct. 2025
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Sometimes, it was described as fantastical, depicting unrealistic and strange juxtapositions, as though the black people in his paintings had wandered into a genre or set of conditions totally discordant with what the viewer considered their actual reality.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offend. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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