offend
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to irritate, annoy, or anger; cause resentful displeasure in.
Even the hint of prejudice offends me.
- Antonyms:
- please
-
to affect (the sense, taste, etc.) disagreeably.
-
to violate or transgress (a criminal, religious, or moral law).
-
to hurt or cause pain to.
-
(in Biblical use) to cause to fall into sinful ways.
verb (used without object)
-
to cause resentful displeasure; irritate, annoy, or anger.
a remark so thoughtless it can only offend.
-
to err in conduct; commit a sin, crime, or fault.
- Synonyms:
- trespass, transgress
verb
-
to hurt the feelings, sense of dignity, etc, of (a person)
-
(tr) to be disagreeable to; disgust
the smell offended him
-
(intr except in archaic uses) to break (a law or laws in general)
Other Word Forms
- offendable adjective
- offender noun
- offending adjective
- overoffend verb (used with object)
- preoffend verb (used with object)
- reoffend verb
- unoffendable adjective
- unoffending adjective
Etymology
Origin of offend
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English offenden, from Middle French offendre, from Latin offendere “to strike against, displease,” from of- of- + -fendere “to strike” ( bane ( def. ) )
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.
"State institutions must treat this case with the utmost seriousness, act to uncover the full extent of offending, ensure accountability and prevent similar harm in the future," they said.
From BBC
His government also offended many Venezuelans last year by shooting off fireworks from the prison at the start of the Christmas holidays.
From Barron's
It’s not that Shriver is trying to offend people or be contrarian.
They go back and forth like this, Welchman laughing, Turing not the least bit offended.
From Literature
Following the court hearing, lawyers at Leigh Day, who are representing some of the parents, said they were "sickened" to learn of Chan's further offending "prior to his time at Bright Horizons Finchley Road".
From BBC
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.
