affront
Americannoun
noun
verb
-
to insult, esp openly
-
to offend the pride or dignity of
-
obsolete to confront defiantly
Related Words
See insult.
Other Word Forms
- affrontedly adverb
- affrontedness noun
- affronter noun
- affrontingly adverb
- reaffront noun
- unaffronted adjective
Etymology
Origin of affront
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English afrounten, from Middle French af(f)ronter “to strike in the face,” from unattested Vulgar Latin affrontāre, derivative of Latin phrase ad frontem “at or toward the forehead” (as the seat of one's feelings or dignity). See ad-, front
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bovino flailed back at every affront instead of focusing on his mission, not realizing his recklessness was eroding public support for his cause and threatening it altogether.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
What Cannon claimed as a personal affront, though, was merely Smith following the law.
From Slate • Feb. 26, 2026
It was famously experienced by the audience as an affront.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called it a "real affront" to the victims' families.
From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026
It was precisely the sort of home Carl would build, he thought—blunt, tidy, gruffly respectable, and offering no affront to the world, though at the same time inviting nobody.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
