insult
verb (used with object)
to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.
was insulting
-
past progressiveof insult.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Lutnick told Congress the ban was "insulting and disrespectful to America."
From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026
Braverman, the Reform MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, said Richards' charity role was "insulting and inappropriate" to women with the condition, which affects areas of the body around the womb.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026
Whether or not she’s the second coming of him as an artist, she’s more insightful than he ever was insulting watercolors of kittens on TV.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026
Speaking to only one part of Canada was insulting and showed the same kind of cluelessness that makes Air Canada consistently one of the poorest scoring North American airlines in J.D.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
The fact that he never bothered to remember our names was insulting, but neither was that slight, alone, enough to make us despise him.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
