affront

[ uh-fruhnt ]

See synonyms for affront on Thesaurus.com

noun

a personally offensive act or word; deliberate act or display of disrespect; intentional slight; insult: an affront to the king.
an offense to one's dignity or self-respect.

verb (used with object)

to offend by an open manifestation of disrespect or insolence: His speech affronted all of us.
to make ashamed or confused; embarrass.

Archaic. to front; face; look on.
Obsolete. to meet or encounter face to face; confront.

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

synonym study For affront

1. See insult.

Other words for affront

1	impertinence; contumely, scorn; indignity, abuse, outrage
3	insult, slight, abuse

See synonyms for affront on Thesaurus.com

Other words from affront

af·front·ed·ly, adverb
af·front·ed·ness, noun
af·front·er, noun
af·front·ing·ly, adverb
re·af·front, noun, verb (used with object)
un·af·front·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use affront in a sentence

You do yourself a disservice by fighting affronts with your sword of righteousness and terrible, swift retorts.
The Stars Predict Your Week | Starsky + Cox | September 18, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
If these are deemed affronts, and the messengers punished as offenders, who will henceforth send petitions?
The Loyalists of America and Their Times, Vol. 1 of 2 | Egerton Ryerson
On the contrary, he treated as personal affronts the many insults offered to her.
Court Beauties of Old Whitehall | W. R. H. Trowbridge
La Felina was an Italian, and those of that nation who receive affronts avenge them.
The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851 | Various
It was told in all public resorts how Ney had resented the rude affronts put on his wife by the Duchess of Angoulme.
The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte | William Milligan Sloane

Nothing of that kind ever affronts me,I am far too busy to waste any thought on reviews or reviewers.
The Sorrows of Satan | Marie Corelli

British Dictionary definitions for affront

affront

/ (əˈfrʌnt) /

noun

a deliberate insult

verb(tr)

to insult, esp openly
to offend the pride or dignity of

obsolete to confront defiantly

Origin of affront

C14: from Old French afronter to strike in the face, from Vulgar Latin affrontāre (unattested), from the Latin phrase ad frontem to the face

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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