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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
What institution taught them a sense of morality, gave them words to express their outrage, and offered them the space and infrastructure to imagine a different world? Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2026 There has been political and public outrage in recent months after X users have increasingly prompted Grok to alter pictures people post of themselves, without their consent, including by undressing them. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
When Lillie Salas saw the Illini Republicans’ post, her emotions fluctuated from disbelief to outrage. Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026 The new monument outraged Utah politicians and residents who supported mining and other development on the public lands. Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 2 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outrage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outrage
Noun
  • Just calling her ugly is an insult with no humor around it.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Don't demand full refunds for minor issues, and avoid insults or aggressive language, which can quickly turn the situation into a standoff.
    Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The crosswalk’s removal sparked indignation in Celeste Padilla, who lives nearby.
    Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 25 Feb. 2026
  • The indignation, understandably, began to grow.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • One that doesn’t offend anyone.
    Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 19 Feb. 2026
  • This trend ignores the IOC’s initial reaction to Putin’s invasion, which, it should be acknowledged, was actually scheduled around the Beijing Winter Olympics, as Putin did not wish to offend the Chinese.
    Sean Strockyj, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Doing so risks angering powerful industries — from agriculture to construction to hospitality — that rely heavily on low-wage immigrant labor.
    Federico Peña, Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2026
  • One big question is whether Apple will fight to claw back its tariffs or eat the costs to avoid angering the president.
    Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Meanwhile, sitcoms like Friends marked a movement toward irony in comedy with its trademark tongue-in-cheek banter and sarcasm, Thompson explains.
    Liz Regalia, Parents, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Eby quipped with her usual dry sarcasm.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • White terrazzo marble floors with cracks that are certainly well earned by the likes of dancing stilettos, dropped Champagne bottles, and jade macaws thrown in rage.
    Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Derek had just killed a patient and channeled all his rage into a brutal fight.
    Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • There are a few things about this that infuriate me.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 19 Feb. 2026
  • For women in perimenopause and menopause, when hormones feel unpredictable and symptoms can be frustrating (er, infuriating) and vague, having a tool that makes at least one piece of the internal puzzle visible can be empowering.
    Rita Templeton, Flow Space, 18 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The nation was thus spared the indignity of waking up to newspapers with pictures of a hanged man’s genitalia on the front pages.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
  • But the indignities have been enough to make many traditionally steadfast American partners talk in private about a permanent rupture in relations with Washington.
    Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outrage. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

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