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⇱ offending - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

offending

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/əˈfɛndɪŋ/US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/əˈfɛndɪŋ/


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
of•fend•ing /əˈfɛndɪŋ/USA pronunciation  adj. 
    1. causing a feeling of offense:The writers removed the offending lines from the speech.
    See -fend-.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
of•fend /əˈfɛnd/USA pronunciation   v. 
  1. to irritate, annoy, or anger;
    cause resentful displeasure in;
    insult:[~ + object]His impolite remarks offended the audience.
  2. to affect (the sense, taste, etc.) in an unpleasant or disagreeable way:[~ + object]That odor offends my nose.
  3. to violate (a criminal, religious, or moral law): [~ + object]The movie offends the morals of the community.[~ + against + object]The movie offends against our principles.
  4. to cause displeasure or resentment:[no object]words that offend.
of•fend•er, n. [countable]See -fend-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
of•fend  (ə fend′),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. to irritate, annoy, or anger;
    cause resentful displeasure in:Even the hint of prejudice offends me.
  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. Bible(in Biblical use) to cause to fall into sinful ways.

v.i. 
  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.
  • Latin offendere to strike against, displease, equivalent. to of- of- + -fendere to strike
  • Middle French offendre
  • Middle English offenden 1275–1325
of•fend′a•ble, adj. 
of•fend′ed•ly, adv. 
of•fend′ed•ness, n. 
of•fend′er, n. 
    1. provoke, chafe, nettle, affront, insult. 7. transgress.
    1. please.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
offend /əˈfɛnd/ vb
  1. to hurt the feelings, sense of dignity, etc, of (a person)
  2. (transitive) to be disagreeable to; disgust: the smell offended him
  3. (intransitive except in archaic uses) to break (a law or laws in general)
Etymology: 14th Century: via Old French offendre to strike against, from Latin offendere, from ob- against + fendere to strikeofˈfender n ofˈfending adj
'offending' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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