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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How does offence compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
"I know that they will be pursuing every line of inquiry to ensure that a person, if that person is charged with an offence, can be brought to justice here."
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
It includes data from police forces which they say shows a 13% increase in reports from the year before, and that there have been 24,446 offences prosecuted by the CPS since the offence was introduced.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
They are recorded to collect data but do not amount to a criminal offence.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Haigh's resignation in November 2024 was the first from Sir Keir Starmer's government and came after it emerged she pleaded guilty to a fraud offence a decade prior.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
But then the possibility occurred to me, once I had retired, that I might actually have given these people offence.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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.
