offense

American  

[uh-fens, aw-fens, of-ens] / əˈfɛns, ˈɔ fɛns, ˈɒf ɛns /

British, offence

noun

• offenses
  plural

1. a violation or breaking of a social or moral rule; transgression; sin.

   Synonyms:

   fault, felony, trespass

2. a transgression of the law; misdemeanor.

   Synonyms:

   fault, felony, trespass

3. a cause of transgression or wrong.

4. something that offends or displeases.

5. the act of offending or displeasing.

6. the feeling of resentful displeasure caused.

   to give offense.

   Synonyms:

   wrath, resentment, umbrage, indignation

   Antonyms:

   pleasure

7. the act of attacking; attack or assault.

   weapons of offense.

   Synonyms:

   aggression

   Antonyms:

   defense

8. a person, army, etc., that is attacking.

   Synonyms:

   foe, enemy

9. Sports.

   1. the players or team unit responsible for attacking or scoring in a game.

   2. the players possessing or controlling the ball, puck, etc., or the aspects or period of a game when this obtains.

   3. a pattern or style of scoring attack.

      single-wing offense; fast-break offense.

   4. offensive effectiveness; ability to score.

      a total breakdown in offense.

10. Archaic. injury, harm, or hurt.

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offense Idioms  

1. see no offense; take offense.

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Synonym Usage

See crime.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-offense
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• offenses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of offense

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English offence, offense; in part from Middle French offens, from Latin offēnsus “collision, knock,” equivalent to offend(ere) ( see offend) + -tus suffix of verb action; in part from Middle French offense, ultimately from Latin offēnsa, feminine past participle of offendere

Explanation

The part of a team that tries to score points is called the offense. If you play forward on a soccer team, you are on offense. If you offend someone — that is you cause them to be upset because of your actions or words — then you may need to apologize for the offense. After all, you meant no offense when you said that disco was dead. How were you to know the guy still loved the '70s? In the eyes of the law, an offense is a crime.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

offense offenses

That was later reduced to six after an appeal and combined with a further 2-point deduction for a separate offense.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Quarterback Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense wasn’t done, though.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

With one play, Jackson took the offense into Dallas territory with a 17-yard scramble.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

Oregon finished that drive with a field goal, the only points either high-scoring offense managed in the first quarter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

Now he flashed a smile so warm and genuine it made me think perhaps I’d taken offense where none was meant.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

The prison holds a mix of inmates including those convicted of violent as well as white-collar offenses such as corruption.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

The four bills would turn some misdemeanor offenses into felonies, increase the time of license suspensions for some offenders, and make it possible for repeat DUI drivers to face more serious charges, including murder.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

Afghanistan citizen Haji Zada was never charged with a crime, but prosecutors had tried and convicted her son and son-in-law for terror offenses.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Since 2023, law-enforcement agencies in West Virginia typically can’t post to social media mug shots of people charged with minor offenses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

I was thinking: the projects, special ed/learning disability, juvenile offenses.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Related Words

• breach
• crime
• infraction
• misdeed
• misdemeanor
• sin
• transgression
• wrongdoing