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
Meanwhile, journalists monitor dashboards showing which headlines produce outrage and which disappear quietly. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026 The partnership has sparked outrage and calls for boycotts from some fans, who view the deal as conflicting with the team's past progressive actions. — Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
To the casual YouTube viewer, these would look like unconnected videos from political news creators outraged by events happening in cities led by Democrats. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026 When police officers in Oklahoma admitted to using electro-shock gloves to subdue two students over the 2025-2026 school year, the community was rightfully outraged. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outrage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outrage
Noun
  • Frazier was a Black sharecropper’s son who’d overcome much hardship, and the insults stung.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
  • That kind of insult to excellence can't happen in college football, since every Saturday matters and losing just a couple of games, even early in the season and to good teams by narrow margins, can end your hopes (see Notre Dame last season).
    — Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The fact that some people are saying these things is coming from indignation.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • One target has a disability; another turns out to be a rabbi, who responds to his confrontation with suitably Talmudic indignation.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The danger here is not just offending the sensibilities of a group that the marketing team had not considered, but also that group sharing their offense with friends and relatives in their countries of origin.
    — Ivan Doruda, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The conflict potential is heightened for you, particularly that which finds you on the road, so take extra care to not accidentally offend the locals with behavior that wouldn’t necessarily be considered rude back home.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Abiy also angered Somalia by trying to negotiate access to the sea via the territory of Somaliland.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • That is, Lamashtu spoke out about something that angered and disgusted the divine patriarch, and she was cast down to earth.
    — Eleanor Johnson, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But when Emma never shows up to their meeting, Pao and Dante will have to go on an epic quest— filled with awkward moments, sarcasm, and somewhat reluctant friendships—to save their best friend.
    — Kavya Dhillon, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026
  • His teammates see his personality, his ability to laugh at himself, his sarcasm, his dry wit.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Women primarily look for feel-good underwear, the no-bra movement is still kicking and shapewear has entered the lingerie space solidly, while undergarments as ready-to-wear and boudoir dressing were all the rage this season.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The environment around Venus at the top of the month is pointed, confrontational, and probably a bit rage-inducing.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Some administration officials argue that Washington is merely trying to avoid unnecessarily infuriating Beijing.
    — David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Some descendants worry that the new research from Kurin and his colleagues will only infuriate die-hard Jefferson apologists further.
    — Andrew Lawler, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • For many of the indignities up on the screen were true to life.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Horgan, whose Catastrophe charted the ups and downs of a relationship with painful, hilarious honesty, applies the same frankness to the minor indignities of midlife.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outrage. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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