insulting

[in-suhl-ting]

adjective

1. giving or causing insult; characterized by affronting rudeness, insolence, etc.

   Synonyms: nasty, offensive, derogatory, abusive, discourteous, rude

Other Word Forms

• insultingly adverb
• uninsulting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of insulting¹

First recorded in 1585–95; insult + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Nick Griffin, 66, shared a cartoon on social media in 2021 that was "threatening, abusive or insulting", it is alleged.

Read more on BBC

That, or Vance is publicly insulting his wife in hopes that she gets fed up and leaves him first.

Read more on Salon

After asking questions about her family background, Enat says the soldiers began insulting her, then threatened her niece with a gun when the little girl started crying.

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In a tetchy exchange, the officials insisted that the response had been swift and effective and that it was "untrue and insulting" to criticise.

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The most insulting thing about the success of Breaking Rust, an artificial intelligence “artist” that topped Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales Chart this week, is the titles of the hits.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• biting 
• degrading 
• derogatory 
• disparaging 
• disrespectful 
• hurtful 
• offensive 
• repulsive 
• rude