take offense
React to insult
To take offense is to feel hurt or insulted by something said or done: She took offense at his comment about her cooking.
The phrase implies a personal reaction to perceived disrespect, though what causes offense varies widely.
Someone who takes offense easily is touchy or thin-skinned.
The British spelling is *offence*.
Angered by unfairness
- affrontedInsulted or disrespected
- bristleCoarse animal hair
- outrageFierce moral indignation
- umbrageOffense taken at insult
pique · dudgeon · huff · wounded · stung · aggrieved · miffed · insulted
Easily hurt by remarks
- touchyEasily upset or offended
- hypersensitiveExcessively reactive to stimuli
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
- vulnerableOpen to attack
fragile · reactive · prickly · irritable · temperamental · quick-tempered · oversensitive · delicate
indignant
Angered by unfairness
umbrage · pique · dudgeon · huff · wounded · stung · aggrieved · miffed · insulted · galled
thin-skinned
Easily hurt by remarks
- touchyEasily upset or offended
- hypersensitiveExcessively reactive to stimuli
- defensiveProtective or easily threatened
vulnerable · fragile · reactive · prickly · irritable · temperamental · quick-tempered · oversensitive · delicate · tender
slighted
Treated as unimportant
- snubbedIntentionally disregarded
- disrespectedTreated with contempt
- scornedRegarded with contempt
spurned · humiliated · mortified · chagrined · insult · affront · slight · snub · put-down · dismissal
grudge
Persistent resentment toward someone
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- rancorLasting bitter resentment
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
enmity · spite · malice · acrimony · grievance · ill will · hostility · antipathy · discontent · nursing
take offenseshrug off
Dismiss as unimportant
brush off · let it go · turn the other cheek · roll with it · laugh it off
take offenseforgive
Cease to blame
overlook · excuse · pardon · make allowances
take, mistake, taken, taking, mistaken, offense, offensive, overtake, takes