Offend Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms offend American [uh-fend] / əˈfɛnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to irritate, annoy, or anger; cause resentful displeasure in.

   Even the hint of prejudice offends me.

   Synonyms: insult, affront, nettle, chafe, provoke Antonyms: please

2. to affect (the sense, taste, etc.) disagreeably.

3. to violate or transgress (a criminal, religious, or moral law).

4. to hurt or cause pain to.

5. (in Biblical use) to cause to fall into sinful ways.

verb (used without object)

1. to cause resentful displeasure; irritate, annoy, or anger.

   a remark so thoughtless it can only offend.

2. to err in conduct; commit a sin, crime, or fault.

   Synonyms: trespass, transgress

offend British / əˈfɛnd /

verb

1. to hurt the feelings, sense of dignity, etc, of (a person)

2. (tr) to be disagreeable to; disgust

   the smell offended him

3. (intr except in archaic uses) to break (a law or laws in general)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• offendable adjective
• offender noun
• offending adjective
• overoffend verb (used with object)
• preoffend verb (used with object)
• reoffend verb
• unoffendable adjective
• unoffending adjective

Etymology

Origin of offend

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English offenden, from Middle French offendre, from Latin offendere “to strike against, displease,” from of- of- + -fendere “to strike” ( bane ( def. ) )

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.

Judge Flewitt stopped short of sending the boy into custody, telling the court the public would be better protected by intense supervision and support from youth offending services.

From BBC

"While Al Fayed is no longer alive to face prosecution, we have always been determined to bring anyone who is suspected to have played a part in his offending to justice," Craggs added.

From BBC

Gemini says Claude’s hallmark style is that of “a nervous graduate student terrified of losing their funding or offending the thesis committee.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"In my judgment your offending, looked at as a whole, does demonstrate that you are, as of today's date, dangerous," said the judge.

From BBC

They’d put their own lives in danger to look after us and the last thing I wanted was to offend them and run the risk of them throwing us out on our ears.

From Literature

Related Words

• aggrieve
• anger
• annoy
• antagonize
• disgust
• disturb
• exasperate
• gall
• horrify
• hurt
• irritate
• outrage
• provoke
• rile
• shock
• sicken
• sting
• upset

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.