insult
Americanverb (used with object)
-
insults,
present (3rd person singular)
-
insulted,
past participle, past
-
insulting
present participle
-
to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.
- Antonyms:
- compliment
-
to affect as an affront; offend or demean.
-
Archaic. to attack; assault.
verb (used without object)
-
insults,
present (3rd person singular)
-
insulted,
past participle, past
-
insulting
present participle
noun
-
insults
plural
-
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.
-
an injury or trauma.
-
an agent that inflicts this.
-
-
Archaic. an attack or assault.
verb
-
to treat, mention, or speak to rudely; offend; affront
-
obsolete to assault; attack
noun
-
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
-
med an injury or trauma
-
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!
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
-
insulternoun
-
preinsultverb (used with object)
-
insultableadjective
-
quasi-insultedadjective
-
uninsultableadjective
-
uninsultedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
insultsimple
-
insultssimple
-
have insultedperfect
-
has insultedperfect
-
am insultingprogressive
-
are insultingprogressive
-
is insultingprogressive
-
have been insultingperfect progressive
-
has been insultingperfect progressive
Past
-
insultedsimple
-
had insultedperfect
-
was insultingprogressive
-
were insultingprogressive
-
had been insultingperfect progressive
Future
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”; see saltant
Explanation
If you insult someone, you have offended that person — either intentionally or unintentionally — through your actions or words. You might insult your host if you refuse to try the dessert he made from pasta, nuts, and chocolate sauce. As a noun, an insult means rude words or actions. If you tell the umpire he needs glasses, then you've made a verbal insult. If, after the umpire calls your team out, you make an obscene gesture in his general direction, you've made another kind of insult. Either insult can potentially get you thrown out of the game.
Vocabulary lists containing insult
English Words Derived from French, List 1
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Because of Winn-Dixie
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Sarah, Plain and Tall
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The final insult came on the Chargers’ last possession when Alt drew a holding penalty while trying to stop pass rusher Maxx Crosby, resulting in a safety.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
It added the insult to Van de Ven's injury, a blow to the face that kept him off the pitch.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
That would be its own kind of insult, and no one worth admiring wants a roster spot handed to him as a gesture.
From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026
Not to mention close enough to come up with an insult that really lands.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
“It’s fine to want to do your best and win. But you don’t have to insult each other.”
From "Trouble at the Arcade (The Hardy Boys: Secret Files, #1)" by Franklin W. Dixon
At Sorkin’s version of the Wall Street Journal, everyone up and down the masthead — editors, writers, even interns — insults each other with such relish that someone should be written up by HR.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Conducted this week by correspondent Eric Cortellessa and top editor Sam Jacobs, the 11,000-word interview is in some ways an unremarkable artifact of the president’s usual tics: run-on sentences, bluster, insults, lies.
From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2026
When facing questions from the committee, the tired-looking Patel did a much poorer job than Bondi of flinging insults at senators.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
In the southern port city of Ashdod, the artist behind the mural of Abraham and Szor unleashed a torrent of insults at the filmmakers, who are currently abroad.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Dad knew the hotel manager and all of the men at the desk, and they used to exchange loud and good-natured insults for the benefit of the crowds that followed us in from the street.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
My career was insulted, and I was mocked for fumbling around while attempting to juice a pineapple with a woefully inadequate kitchen utensil.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
Police say the brothers insulted a woman during an altercation over loud noise.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
In her first lawsuit, Carroll accused Trump of defaming her when he insulted her and denied raping her in a department-store dressing room in the 1990s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Musk said director Nolan has "grossly insulted the Greek people", and replied "true" to a meme of a man supposedly dancing on Homer's grave.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
“As a Pukhtun, I am insulted you are leaving my house,” grumbled Uncle Amin.
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
Most importantly, being in a less reactive state would give me a better shot at attaining my actual goal—getting medical coverage—instead of simply insulting a customer service person.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
Delivery can wander toward $60 before tip with insulting ease.
From Salon ● Sep. 20, 2026
She said it was not only "insulting", but made her consider what sort of training the staff might have had.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
Several of Modi’s party colleagues have publicly used language deemed insulting to women.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
But I’d always wanted to tell people that they were insulting me incorrectly.
From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi
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.
