insult
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.
- Antonyms:
- compliment
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to affect as an affront; offend or demean.
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Archaic. to attack; assault.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
an insolent or contemptuously rude action or remark; affront.
- Antonyms:
- compliment
-
something having the effect of an affront.
That book is an insult to one's intelligence.
-
Medicine/Medical.
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an injury or trauma.
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an agent that inflicts this.
-
-
Archaic. an attack or assault.
verb
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to treat, mention, or speak to rudely; offend; affront
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obsolete to assault; attack
noun
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an offensive or contemptuous remark or action; affront; slight
-
a person or thing producing the effect of an affront
some television is an insult to intelligence
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med an injury or trauma
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to make an unfair or unacceptable situation even worse
Usage
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!
Related Words
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.
Other Word Forms
- insultable adjective
- insulter noun
- preinsult verb (used with object)
- quasi-insulted adjective
- uninsultable adjective
- uninsulted adjective
Etymology
Origin of insult
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
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.
And as they mourn the loss of their neighborhoods, regulations that could further quash the possibility of ever regaining that sense of community have only added insult to injury.
From Los Angeles Times
The immigration judges union called the job listings “insulting.”
From Los Angeles Times
It produced a viral moment of pure celebration, even if some felt it might have been too bombastic and insulting to Dommaraju.
Family and friends considered getting used items an insult.
Casting a human loss in the language of insult revealed how little moral gravity has to register before it is turned into another battle cry.
From Salon
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.
