Offend Verb - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation And Usage Notes

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Definition of offend verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

offend verb   /əˈfend/  /əˈfend/Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they offend	/əˈfend/  /əˈfend/
he / she / it offends	/əˈfendz/  /əˈfendz/
past simple offended	/əˈfendɪd/  /əˈfendɪd/
past participle offended	/əˈfendɪd/  /əˈfendɪd/
-ing form offending	/əˈfendɪŋ/  /əˈfendɪŋ/

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1.   [transitive, often passive, intransitive] offend (somebody) to make somebody feel upset because of something you say or do that is rude or embarrassing
   • They'll be offended if you don't go to their wedding.
   • Neil did not mean to offend anybody with his joke.
   • She managed to offend her boyfriend’s parents as soon as she opened her mouth.
   • A TV interviewer must be careful not to offend.
   Extra Examples
   • He was very sensitive and easily offended.
   • Omit anything that is likely to offend people.
   • She stopped mid-sentence, anxious not to offend him.
   • Some people found his jokes funny but others were deeply offended.
   Topics Feelingsb2Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
   • deeply
   • gravely
   • greatly
   • …
   verb + offend
   • be likely to
   • be anxious not to
   • be careful not to
   • …
   preposition
   • against
   phrases
   • feel, look, sound, etc. offended
   See full entry

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2. [transitive] offend somebody/something to seem unpleasant to somebody
   • The smell from the farm offended some people.
   • an ugly building that offends the eye
   • The show was careful not to offend local sensibilities (= hurt the feelings of local people).
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
   • deeply
   • gravely
   • greatly
   • …
   verb + offend
   • be likely to
   • be anxious not to
   • be careful not to
   • …
   preposition
   • against
   phrases
   • feel, look, sound, etc. offended
   See full entry
3. [intransitive] (formal) to commit a crime or crimes
   • He started offending at the age of 16.
   • What is the best way to stop someone who has offended from repeating the offence?
   Topics Crime and punishmentb2
4. [intransitive] offend (against somebody/something) (formal) to be against what people believe is morally right
   • comments that offend against people’s religious beliefs
   • Viewers complained that the broadcast offended against good taste.
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
   • deeply
   • gravely
   • greatly
   • …
   verb + offend
   • be likely to
   • be anxious not to
   • be careful not to
   • …
   preposition
   • against
   phrases
   • feel, look, sound, etc. offended
   See full entry
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French offendre, from Latin offendere ‘strike against’.

See offend in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee offend in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: offend

Nearby words

• off-duty adjective
• offence noun
• offend verb
• offended adjective
• offender noun

velodrome noun From the Topic Sports C1 Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day