outrage

[out-reyj]

noun

1. an act of wanton cruelty or violence; any gross violation of law or decency.

2. anything that strongly offends, insults, or affronts the feelings.

   Synonyms: indignity, abuse, offense

3. a powerful feeling of resentment or anger aroused by something perceived as an injury, insult, or injustice.

   Outrage seized the entire nation at the news of the attempted assassination.

verb (used with object)

outraged, outraging 

1. to subject to grievous violence or indignity.

2. to anger or offend; make resentful; shock.

   I am outraged by his whole attitude.

3. to offend against (right, decency, feelings, etc.) grossly or shamelessly.

   Such conduct outrages our normal sense of decency.

4. to rape.

   Synonyms: violate

outrage

/ ˈaʊtˌreɪdʒ /

noun

1. a wantonly vicious or cruel act

2. a gross violation of decency, morality, honour, etc

3. profound indignation, anger, or hurt, caused by such an act

verb

1. to cause profound indignation, anger, or resentment in

2. to offend grossly (feelings, decency, human dignity, etc)

3. to commit an act of wanton viciousness, cruelty, or indecency on

4. a euphemistic word for rape 1

Other Word Forms

• unoutraged adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of outrage¹

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French outrage, ultrage, equivalent to outr ( er ) to push beyond bounds (derivative of outre beyond < Latin ultrā ) + -age -age

Word History and Origins

Origin of outrage¹

C13 (meaning: excess): via French from outré beyond, from Latin ultrā

Example Sentences

"First you violate expectations by making something worse, then you compound the injury by revealing the violation was both expensive and avoidable," psychologist and neuroscientist Joel Pearson told the BBC, explaining the public outrage.

Read more on BBC

Then came the daily announcements and receipts documenting scandalous spending outrages, not all of which lived up to their original billing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Not surprisingly, the plan evoked consternation in Ukraine and outrage in Europe—an indication that neither had been directly involved in its formulation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

January’s conflagration produced plenty of targets for public outrage.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

What I couldn’t see was that the outrage was the control mechanism.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• aggrieve 
• incense 
• infuriate 
• insult 
• scandalize 
• shock