as in insulting
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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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of offending
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
The Defringe option in Affinity improves matters, but the software doesn't have an eyedropper to hone in on the offending shade of magenta.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
But instead of simply coating the offending area with air freshener or lighting a candle to mask the odor, learn how to address unwanted smells at the source.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
The BAFTAs air on a two-hour delay, more than enough time to remove the offending outburst from the broadcast.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Emma wriggled obediently out of the offending articles.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The owner of the offending Bin Ladin-esque wall earned the money to build said wall thanks to an apparently successful series of books combining New Age quackery and extraterrestrial quackery.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Washington qualifies for an additional life sentence for re-offending after being released from prison, prosecutors said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Many of the offending cooks got their paperwork in order and fixed their problems after some time.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
At the same time, evangelists of a robust atheism—figures such as the biologist Richard Dawkins, the critic Christopher Hitchens, and the neuroscientist Sam Harris—toured the country offending salt-of-the-earth Americans with their contempt for religious belief.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Across the market, streamers appear increasingly reluctant to touch documentaries that risk offending political power centers or their allies.
—Addie Morfoot, IndieWire, 22 Mar. 2026
When acute injury is diagnosed quickly, clinicians can remove offending drugs or add protective ones.
—Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Paramount+ is being very protective of the series’ plot, though before anything really happens, the offending binary is established.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
If a co-worker interrupts a research stretch, calmly propose another time to avoid offending them or messing with your pre-set schedule.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
O'Herrin notes that chopping down the offending tree is not going solve your issue in the long term.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Targeting is forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck area where the offending player often uses the crown of his helmet to make contact or launches his body into the opposing player above the shoulders.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Something seems to be afoot, since the offending robots were operated by two different companies.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
The Defringe option in Affinity improves matters, but the software doesn't have an eyedropper to hone in on the offending shade of magenta.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
But instead of simply coating the offending area with air freshener or lighting a candle to mask the odor, learn how to address unwanted smells at the source.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
The BAFTAs air on a two-hour delay, more than enough time to remove the offending outburst from the broadcast.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Emma wriggled obediently out of the offending articles.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The owner of the offending Bin Ladin-esque wall earned the money to build said wall thanks to an apparently successful series of books combining New Age quackery and extraterrestrial quackery.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Washington qualifies for an additional life sentence for re-offending after being released from prison, prosecutors said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Many of the offending cooks got their paperwork in order and fixed their problems after some time.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
Given all the competition in the airline industry, and choices travelers have, offending anyone is dangerous.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
At the same time, evangelists of a robust atheism—figures such as the biologist Richard Dawkins, the critic Christopher Hitchens, and the neuroscientist Sam Harris—toured the country offending salt-of-the-earth Americans with their contempt for religious belief.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Across the market, streamers appear increasingly reluctant to touch documentaries that risk offending political power centers or their allies.
—Addie Morfoot, IndieWire, 22 Mar. 2026
When acute injury is diagnosed quickly, clinicians can remove offending drugs or add protective ones.
—Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Paramount+ is being very protective of the series’ plot, though before anything really happens, the offending binary is established.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
If a co-worker interrupts a research stretch, calmly propose another time to avoid offending them or messing with your pre-set schedule.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
O'Herrin notes that chopping down the offending tree is not going solve your issue in the long term.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Targeting is forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck area where the offending player often uses the crown of his helmet to make contact or launches his body into the opposing player above the shoulders.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offending
Adjective
-
The cast’s sole survivor is Jessica Hecht, who pours miraculous warmth and complexity into her faintly insulting role as Colleen, the head teller, a morally upright spinster goosed by her flirtation with Sonny and the spotlight.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Drawing parallels between this unpopular war and World War II is ludicrous and insulting.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
New York State Police have arrested about a dozen people for trespassing there so far this year.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The home of Nicki Minaj is the subject of a police investigation after a man was arrested for allegedly trespassing on the rapper's property.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In their filing in Sacramento Superior Court, the residents accuse city officials of violating Measure O, which mandates that interim shelters sit more than 500 feet away from bodies of water or streams.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Sculptor and illustrator Jacques Tilly, who designed the aforementioned float, has been reported to the police for disseminating hate speech and violating the Criminal Code, which prohibits the use of Nazi imagery for purposes not expressly linked to art, scholarship, teaching, or reporting.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Twenty-six missed 3-pointers led to multiple chances for the Magic to grab offensive rebounds and get extra chances to score.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Harvey had a productive rookie season, accumulating 12 total touchdowns and 896 offensive yards.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
All of this comes at a time when the market has greater appetite for larger scale deals, despite Lauder’s falling stock price.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These titles include Hijra, from ground-breaking Saudi director Shahad Ameen; TIFF selections Amoeba by Tan Siyou and Maddie by John Early as well as AI documentary Intelligence Rising from Oscar and BAFTA winning filmmaker Elena Andreicheva.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
-
His most recent stop before Arkansas was in Baltimore, Maryland, as a night and breaking news editor.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
After years of working to rid Missouri of abusive Christian boarding schools, child advocates and some lawmakers fear a bill still alive in the legislature would undo that effort.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Every so often, Nancy becomes abusive with my wife.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wear it with sandals to the beach, throw on sneakers for wandering around town, and add a cardigan when the evening gets breezy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to wandering tourists, expect to see theater crew, set designers, actors, and matronly sensei in pastel kimonos and big, pinned up hairdos haunting the vicinity.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offending. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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