insult

[ verb in-suhlt; noun in-suhlt ]

verb (used with object)

1. to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.

   Synonyms: abuse, injure, scorn, offend

   Antonyms: compliment

2. to affect as an affront; offend or demean.
3. Archaic. to attack; assault.

verb (used without object)

1. Archaic. to behave with insolent triumph; exult contemptuously (usually followed by on, upon, or over ).

noun

1. an insolent or contemptuously rude action or remark; affront.

   Synonyms: outrage, offense

   Antonyms: compliment

2. something having the effect of an affront:

   That book is an insult to one's intelligence.

3. Medicine/Medical.
   1. an injury or trauma.
   2. an agent that inflicts this.
4. Archaic. an attack or assault.

insult

verb

1. to treat, mention, or speak to rudely; offend; affront
2. obsolete.
   to assault; attack

noun

1. an offensive or contemptuous remark or action; affront; slight
2. a person or thing producing the effect of an affront

   some television is an insult to intelligence

3. med an injury or trauma
4. add insult to injury
   add insult to injury to make an unfair or unacceptable situation even worse

Derived Forms

• inˈsulter, noun

Other Words From

• in·sulta·ble adjective
• in·sulter noun
• prein·sult verb (used with object)
• quasi-in·sulted adjective
• unin·sulta·ble adjective
• unin·sulted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of insult¹

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin insultāre “to jump on, insult,” equivalent to in- in- ² + -sultāre, combining form of saltāre “to jump”; saltant

Word History and Origins

Origin of insult¹

C16: from Latin insultāre to jump upon, from in- ² + saltāre to jump

Idioms and Phrases

see add insult to injury .

Synonym Study

Insult, indignity, affront, slight imply an act that injures another's honor, self-respect, etc. Insult implies such insolence of speech or manner as deeply humiliates or wounds one's feelings and arouses to anger. Indignity is especially used of inconsiderate, contemptuous treatment toward one entitled to respect. Affront implies open disrespect or offense shown, as it were, to the face. Slight may imply inadvertent indifference or disregard, which may also indicate ill-concealed contempt.

Example Sentences

That the “short list” was most of the world, or that the term ultimately devolved into an insult, seems unsurprising in retrospect.

From Fortune

It was an insult to the public as well, and a sad example of the state of American democracy five weeks before the election.

From Washington Post

It wasn’t the insults or shouting that put the markets into a risk-off mood.

From Fortune

“Streamlining,” wrote Technical Editor Kevin Cameron in a February, 2002, piece about the star of the 2001 Tokyo Show, “would just be an insult to the air-crushing power of the supercharged engine.”

From Popular-Science

Adding insult to injury, my coworkers and I were offered only a pittance of severance to tide us over through this incredible time of uncertainty.

From Fortune

It was like a constant assault, an almost stupefying catalogue of mindless racial insult and injury.

From The Daily Beast

Insult to injury, its $43 million gross was less than one-fifth of what Ted took in.

From The Daily Beast

The cardinals had such a bad reputation that the very term “cardinal” became an insult in Renaissance Rome.

From The Daily Beast

To add insult to injury, he procured male escorts while traveling for school business.

From The Daily Beast

Watching novelists insult one another is one of the primary pleasures of his biography.

From The Daily Beast

Yet how came it that even a low-caste mongrel of a Lascar should offer such an overt insult to a Brahmin!

From Project Gutenberg

He passed to and fro in the city without the least insult being offered him by any Spaniard.

From Project Gutenberg

Insult and outrage seemed to have given that bodily vigour to Ripperda, which medicine and surgery had taken no pains to restore.

From Project Gutenberg

He was determined to have it, if only because no greater insult can be inflicted on a Mohammedan than to bare his head.

From Project Gutenberg

This provided for, I will protect myself from future insult, depend upon it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• annoy
• curse
• humiliate
• irritate
• libel
• mock
• outrage
• provoke
• ridicule
• slander
• taunt

More About Insult

What is an insult?

An insult is a rude action or remark meant to harm someone’s reputation or hurt their feelings. Insults come in many forms, often attacking the mental or physical characteristics of someone or something. 

To insult someone is to offend or demean them, as by making harmful remarks.

An insult is also something that has the effect of a harmful remark. For example, you could say that your father telling you how to do something that you know how to do is an insult to your intelligence, even though your father was trying to be helpful rather than insulting. You can feel insulted without someone intentionally being rude because feelings are unplanned reactions, meaning some people find it best to think about whether the insult was intended or not. Insults are sometimes exchanged lightheartedly among friends just for fun.

Example: How dare she insult me like that on such an important day!

Where does insult come from?

The first records of the term insult come from around 1560. It comes from the Latin insultāre, meaning “to jump on, insult.” 

 Insults are often used as shock comedy and in roasts of people, usually celebrities. These events or social media threads usually involve people insulting others in good fun by poking at their actions, deeds, or characteristics that may be seen as negative. Often these types of insults are made in jest and are half-truths. Other times, though, people can make jokes at others’ expense that are actually real insults that offend and demean them. Being insulted is never a comfortable thing, and it’s wise to think before saying something hurtful.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to insult?

• insulting (adjective)
• insulter (noun)
• preinsult (verb)
• uninsulted (adjective)

What are some synonyms for insult?

• abuse
• disrespect
• put-down
• annoy
• slander
• taunt

What are some words that share a root or word element with insult? 

• saltant
• insulting

What are some words that often get used in discussing insult?

• character
• outrage
• reputation

How is insult used in real life?

The word insult is commonly used as both a noun and a verb. The word is typically used in the context of comments considered demeaning, but insults are sometimes exchanged among friends in a joking way.

In order to insult me, I must first value your opinion.

— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) August 14, 2017

If you take correction as an insult, you will never grow.

— reggie mills (@MillsReggie) December 1, 2020

me, with $27 in my checking account, looking at $3M homes online: “the size of this in-ground pool is an insult”

— caleb (@calebsaysthings) September 10, 2020

 

Try using insult!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for insult?

A. help
B. annoy
C. irritate
D. slander