1
as in trespassing
to commit an offense
since this is the first time you've offended, we'll let you off lightly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in outraging
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 violating
to fail to keep
offended conventional standards of uniformity by not adhering to the company dress code
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in insulting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of offending
Greg Evans, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
The woman marked the offending area with red thread and put it aside, to be sent to the factory’s repair sector.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
On hotter, stormier worlds, these reactions speed up, drawing more of the offending carbon dioxide into rock.
—Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
For example, coordination with KYB providers can be effective for identifying other telecom assets under the control or ownership of the offending CSP.
—Peter Ford, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The press, however—fearing backlash to its positive depiction of interracial romance—rewrote the conclusion without Grey’s knowledge or consent, killing off Nophaie and the offending prospect of miscegenation.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Second, having quickly been identified by internet bloodhounds, the actual offending Polish paving magnate issued a belligerent non-apology.
—Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The offending message was removed after it was reported to the Greenwood Police Department.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 12 Aug. 2025
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2025
In New Zealand, murder carries a mandatory life sentence and judges are required to set a prison term of at least 10 years before the offending person can apply for parole, according to the outlet.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Price hikes are almost always unpopular, but unveiling them immediately after offending subscribers, employees, politicians, and celebrities is tone-deaf and horribly timed.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
There was no accessible list of people supposedly celebrating Kirk’s murder, and a submissions portal for offending posts about him remained inactive.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
One assumes there will be widespread debate over the accuracy of Kimmel’s offending comments.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
This was never about offending Black people.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
To win an Allure Best of Beauty Clean award, a product cannot contain any of the offending ingredients to even be considered.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
When arthritis pain flares up, the area around the offending joint becomes inflamed and slightly acidic.
—New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
By Wednesday afternoon, DHS appears to have taken down the Von-offending video.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
The woman marked the offending area with red thread and put it aside, to be sent to the factory’s repair sector.
—Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
On hotter, stormier worlds, these reactions speed up, drawing more of the offending carbon dioxide into rock.
—Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
For example, coordination with KYB providers can be effective for identifying other telecom assets under the control or ownership of the offending CSP.
—Peter Ford, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The press, however—fearing backlash to its positive depiction of interracial romance—rewrote the conclusion without Grey’s knowledge or consent, killing off Nophaie and the offending prospect of miscegenation.
—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Second, having quickly been identified by internet bloodhounds, the actual offending Polish paving magnate issued a belligerent non-apology.
—Neal Rubin, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The offending message was removed after it was reported to the Greenwood Police Department.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Is the streamer afraid of offending hate groups by depicting them as hateful and/or groups?
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2025
In New Zealand, murder carries a mandatory life sentence and judges are required to set a prison term of at least 10 years before the offending person can apply for parole, according to the outlet.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
Price hikes are almost always unpopular, but unveiling them immediately after offending subscribers, employees, politicians, and celebrities is tone-deaf and horribly timed.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
There was no accessible list of people supposedly celebrating Kirk’s murder, and a submissions portal for offending posts about him remained inactive.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
One assumes there will be widespread debate over the accuracy of Kimmel’s offending comments.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
This was never about offending Black people.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
To win an Allure Best of Beauty Clean award, a product cannot contain any of the offending ingredients to even be considered.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
When arthritis pain flares up, the area around the offending joint becomes inflamed and slightly acidic.
—New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offending
Verb
-
During the 2022 incident, an unknown person motioned toward Newton to arrest Mitchell for trespassing.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
30 Sep. 2025
-
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
-
Patrick doesn’t waste time insulting Ellen about her relationship with Edward, never mind that, as Ellen points out, Edward’s the reason Patrick’s a free man.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Posts garnered thousands of replies from people calling for her job, insulting her appearance and using her post as a reason for a general disdain of left-leaning people.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But the remarks follow Russian drone incursions into Poland as well as Russian fighter jets violating Estonian airspace, forcing NATO to intercept them.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Board meetings were also being held in secret, violating state law.—
Lawrence Mower,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
There are questions about Towns, who is a very potent offensive threat but hasn't lived up to his potential defensively.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The change also aligned with the WHO’s guidelines for naming diseases, which emphasize avoiding names that are offensive to cultural groups, or that negatively impact trade, tourism, or animal welfare.—
Dr. Nikki Romanik,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
With less money being invested by record labels into touring, that has created a top-heavy artist hierarchy, with the rich getting richer and the poor and middle class falling by the wayside.—
Roy Trakin,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The group acknowledged a need to modernize the government's data gathering processes, which have been hampered by falling survey response rates.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Beyond breaking records in sales and attendance, the residency emerged as one of the most powerful economic and cultural catalysts the island has seen.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The man also had a history of being abusive to partners, the Morning Herald reported.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
-
The strong aroma of abusive conduct in the Comey case might incline the judge, Michael Nachmanoff, to adopt a more skeptical approach to the charges.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The cubs had been found wandering without their mother near Poway in late March.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Bertis Sutton, Ruth’s son, told Global News in June that his mother has early stage Alzheimer’s but had not shown signs of being disoriented or wandering away.—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offending. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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