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no offense

Idioms

Please don't feel insulted, I don't mean to offend you, as in No offense, but I think you're mistaken. This expression, first recorded in 1829, generally accompanies a statement that could be regarded as insulting but is not meant to be, as in the example.

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.

But no offense was intended with the Washington costume, Collins explained, noting that he was just there to “honor the King as our special guest.”

From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026

"I get my news source from him, not from -- no offense -- but not from you or anyone else," White told AFP reporters at his official residence in Brussels.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

“I mean, no offense, you probably couldn’t get the Vanderbilt game on in most bars across America.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025

“That’s stuff that, no offense to you guys, but you guys wouldn’t understand.”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 6, 2025

I want to say no offense, but that’s not much of a comfort.

From "All The Bright Places" by Jennifer Niven

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023