offence
Americannoun
noun
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a violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc
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any public wrong or crime
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a nonindictable crime punishable on summary conviction
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annoyance, displeasure, or resentment
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to cause annoyance or displeasure to someone
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to feel injured, humiliated, or offended
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a source of annoyance, displeasure, or anger
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attack; assault
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archaic injury or harm
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American football
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the team that has possession of the ball
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the members of a team that play in such circumstances
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Other Word Forms
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Explanation
Offence is the British spelling of offense, meaning "a punishable act." If you break a law for the first time, it’s your first offence. The noun offence comes from the Latin word offendere, which means “strike against.” Any time you break a law or a rule it is an offence against that law or rule. Also meaning "rudeness" — or the anger caused by it. In countries like the United States, the preferred spelling is offense, so don't take offense if someone corrects you.
Vocabulary lists containing offence
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.
It is now an offence for players or officials to insult someone because of their race, religion, ethnicity, colour, nationality or background.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Two further arrests were made, one on suspicion of using words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and one on suspicion of an immigration offence.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Long had already pleaded guilty to that offence.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
A man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence on Wednesday afternoon following Tuesday's disorder.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
They took to my barging without any offence, making room for me like a good-natured crowd.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
