offense
Americannoun
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a violation or breaking of a social or moral rule; transgression; sin.
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a transgression of the law; misdemeanor.
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a cause of transgression or wrong.
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something that offends or displeases.
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the act of offending or displeasing.
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the feeling of resentful displeasure caused.
to give offense.
- Synonyms:
- wrath, resentment, umbrage, indignation
- Antonyms:
- pleasure
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the act of attacking; attack or assault.
weapons of offense.
- Synonyms:
- aggression
- Antonyms:
- defense
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a person, army, etc., that is attacking.
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Sports.
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the players or team unit responsible for attacking or scoring in a game.
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the players possessing or controlling the ball, puck, etc., or the aspects or period of a game when this obtains.
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a pattern or style of scoring attack.
single-wing offense; fast-break offense.
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offensive effectiveness; ability to score.
a total breakdown in offense.
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Archaic. injury, harm, or hurt.
Synonym Usage
See crime.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing offense
Set, Hut! Football Vocabulary
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Words Football Fans Can Master Easily
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Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865)
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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.
The Chargers expect big things out of McDaniel’s offense after they averaged a subpar 21.6 points per game in 2025.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
“We continue to drive our own momentum and are playing offense, led by our retail business expansion,” CEO Melinda D. Whittington said.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
Under Mexican law, the penalties for that crime are potentially greater than homicide — there is no death penalty in Mexico — and the judge opted for the disappearance offense.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
The first finding of a violation results in a warning informing them of future penalties for any further offense.
From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026
A spitball heads toward Mr. Garfield, not at him, not a suspension-worthy offense, just a warning shot.
From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon
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.
