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offense
[ uh-fens aw-fens, of-ens ]
noun
- a violation or breaking of a social or moral rule; transgression; sin.
- a transgression of the law; misdemeanor.
- a cause of transgression or wrong.
- something that offends or displeases.
- the act of offending or displeasing.
- the feeling of resentful displeasure caused:
to give offense.
Synonyms: indignation, wrath, resentment, umbrage
Antonyms: pleasure
- the act of attacking; attack or assault:
weapons of offense.
Synonyms: aggression
Antonyms: defense
- a person, army, etc., that is attacking.
- Sports.
- the players or team unit responsible for attacking or scoring in a game.
- the players possessing or controlling the ball, puck, etc., or the aspects or period of a game when this obtains.
- a pattern or style of scoring attack:
single-wing offense; fast-break offense.
- offensive effectiveness; ability to score:
a total breakdown in offense.
- Archaic. injury, harm, or hurt.
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Other Words From
- self-of·fense noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of offense1
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Idioms and Phrases
see no offense ; take offense .Discover More
Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
But the fun starts when conservatives stop playing defense and go on offense.
To many of us, that smacks of censorship, the highest offense to our pride in self-publicity.
The most violent offense committed by Wahlberg occurred on the night of April 8, 1988.
If this were accurate, it would mean that the Wilson stopped Brown over a minor offense, not a felony.
Of how incredibly petty the offense can be and how insanely disproportionate the retaliation can be.
In this way it will be managed with less offense and with more ease to the conscience than now.
In harmony with a fundamental rule of law, a member who has once been acquitted cannot be tried again for the same offense.
It is almost amusing to see the efforts they make to avoid shaking hands with people, without giving direct offense.
He described the men at the Lion d'Or as truculent, easily ready to take offense, difficult to persuade.
Any offense against the grammar of our language is a sin against good use.
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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