Definition of outragenext
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outrage

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word outrage distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of outrage are affront, insult, and offend. While all these words mean "to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment," outrage implies offending beyond endurance and calling forth extreme feelings.

outraged by their accusations

When can affront be used instead of outrage?

While in some cases nearly identical to outrage, affront implies treating with deliberate rudeness or contemptuous indifference to courtesy.

deeply affronted by his callousness

In what contexts can insult take the place of outrage?

The words insult and outrage can be used in similar contexts, but insult suggests deliberately causing humiliation, hurt pride, or shame.

insulted every guest at the party

When is offend a more appropriate choice than outrage?

In some situations, the words offend and outrage are roughly equivalent. However, 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

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 outrage
Noun
The video was set to an upbeat Haitian song, its imagery prompting outrage and condemnation from Haitians and immigrant rights activists. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 An upcoming pay cut for some nurses at Grady Health System is prompting outrage online and providing a window into how Georgia’s largest safety-net hospital is weathering major policy changes in Washington. Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
The victim's wife, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Marlene, and did not want her face shown, said she was outraged by what happened. Peter D'oench, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 In Miami, Mayor Carlos Alvarez was recalled and overwhelmingly voted out of office in 2011 due to outrage over his public funding of a controversial new Marlins stadium. Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outrage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outrage
Noun
  • Those who drive past our protests and yell insults or flip us the bird are to be pitied.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The billboards made Angelyne famous for being famous when that phrase was still an insult.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Cancer Rising September begins with you very much waking up on the wrong side of the bed, but your indignation might just be the thing that saves you in the end.
    Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
  • On cue, China expressed indignation about anti-missile deployments.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who is standing just steps away from the mayor at the ceremony, said that Mamdani’s presence would offend him.
    Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
  • For that, their game — analyzing randomness and violence and doing so without offending our intelligence — has become as important to the American audience as The Game.
    Candace Buckner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • But Trump’s solution, to import 300,000 metric tons of beef and sell it at a reduced cost, angered American ranchers.
    Sarah Henry, AZCentral.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Rebecca regrets angering Matthijs (Matteo van der Grijn) after putting his daughter in the middle of a heated discussion around the possibility of Matthijs moving to London.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • As Troy, his signature wide-eyed, guileless delivery of sarcasm is a first line of defense that softens as his understanding of the Russian people, including his companion, grows.
    Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The other presidents had some semblance of comedic appreciation, whether through cynicism, irony, sarcasm, joke-telling, joke appreciation or storytelling.
    John Blumenthal, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Right now, sensory toys are all the rage, so consider adding these $7 squishy toys to your cart.
    Anja Webb, Parents, 15 Sep. 2026
  • This was right in the peak of Elon Musk’s reconstruction of Twitter, privileging rage bait and engagement tactics that helped misinformation disseminate like fact.
    Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Sydney Sweeney is no stranger to starring in a controversial ad — and her latest effort has infuriated female athletes, including Olympians.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026
  • But Marcia was beginning to sound like Marcia on the page, Marcia in those essays that both excited and infuriated her readers.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Alas, by disguising themselves in earthling form, these superior beings must submit themselves to the worst indignities of the human condition — namely the frequent need to go to the bathroom and the constant nuisance of dealing with emotions.
    Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There are hints of George Saunders in McBride’s ability to turn the indignities of modern life into a gently devastating black comedy.
    T. M. Brown, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outrage. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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