offend
Wound with words
To offend is to cause displeasure, hurt feelings, or moral outrage: His remarks offended nearly everyone in the room.
The word covers a spectrum from mild annoyance to deep insult.
What offends varies by person and culture—some take offense easily, others rarely.
To offend against something is to violate it: offend against good taste, offend against the law.
An offender is someone who commits an offense, especially a crime.
Fierce moral indignation
- infuriateProvoke extreme anger
- enrageMake furious
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- provokeIncite a response
irritate · annoy · vex · irk · rile · aggravate · antagonize · rankle
Break a rule deliberately
- breachBreaking of agreement
- breakInterrupt continuity
- infringeViolate another's rights
- contraveneAct against a rule
trespass · overstep · flout · defy · disobey · sin · err · wrong
Offensive remark or action
- slightMinor or thin
- snubDeliberate dismissive rejection
- disrespectLack of regard
- indignityHumiliating or degrading treatment
slur · put-down · dig · barb · jab · cut · rebuff · humiliate
Insult the divine
- profaneIrreverent toward the sacred
- desecrateViolate what's sacred
- sacrilegeViolation of the hallowed
- forbiddenNot allowed
indecent · obscene · vulgar · crude · coarse · lewd · improper · inappropriate
Drive off or disgust
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- sickenCause illness or disgust
- nauseateInduce queasiness or revulsion
- repulseDrive back or disgust
appall · shock · horrify · dismay · disturb · unsettle · discomfort · displease
What initiates action
- hurtCause or feel pain
- woundCoiled, or an injury
- bruiseDiscolored tissue injury
- stingSharp wound from insect
injure · harm · damage · traumatize · microaggression · insensitive · tactless · thoughtless
outrage
Fierce moral indignation
provoke · irritate · annoy · vex · irk · rile · aggravate · antagonize · rankle · nettle
violate
Break a rule deliberately
contravene · trespass · overstep · flout · defy · disobey · sin · err · wrong · fault
insult
Offensive remark or action
- slightMinor or thin
- snubDeliberate dismissive rejection
- disrespectLack of regard
indignity · slur · put-down · dig · barb · jab · cut · rebuff · humiliate · demean
blaspheme
Insult the divine
forbidden · indecent · obscene · vulgar · crude · coarse · lewd · improper · inappropriate · unseemly
repel
Drive off or disgust
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- sickenCause illness or disgust
- nauseateInduce queasiness or revulsion
repulse · appall · shock · horrify · dismay · disturb · unsettle · discomfort · displease · distaste
trigger
What initiates action
sting · injure · harm · damage · traumatize · microaggression · insensitive · tactless · thoughtless · callous
- no offenseVerbal cushion before criticism
- offensive lineFootball's protective forward squad
- take offenseFeel insulted or hurt
- no offense butPreamble to rudeness
- repeat offenderPerson repeatedly convicted
- easily offendedProne to taking umbrage
offense, offensive, offended, offender, inoffensive, offending, offends, reoffend, unoffending