offend en · VERB
Pronunciation
- /əˈfɛnd/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From Middle French offendre, from Latin offendō (“strike, blunder, commit an offense”), from ob- (“against”) + *fendō (“strike”).
Meanings
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(transitive) To hurt the feelings of; to displease; to make angry; to insult.
‘ […] I remember a lady coming to inspect St. Mary's Home where I was brought up and seeing us all in our lovely Elizabethan uniforms we were so proud of, and bursting into tears all over us because “it was wicked to dress us like charity children”. We nearly crowned her we were so offended. She saw us but she didn't know us, did she?’.
1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 6, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:One day my girlfriend, her boyfriend and I were sunbathing topless because that's Barbados - you can wear nothing if you want. And the Pepsi guy walks up and with my agent to meet us for lunch. I wondered if I should put on my top because I have a business relationship with him. I didn't want him to get offended because the rest of the beach had seen me with my top off.
1995 September, “The Playboy Interview: Cindy Crawford”, in Playboy:Your accusations offend me deeply.
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(intransitive) To feel or become offended; to take insult.
Don't worry. I don't offend easily.
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(transitive) To physically harm, pain.
Som fowles there be that have so perfaict ſight Agayn the Sonne their Iyes for to defend And ſom bicauſe the light doeth theim offend Do never pere but in the darke or nyght
c. 1527–1542, Thomas Wyatt, “Som fowles there be that have so perfaict ſight”, in Egerton MS 2711, page 19v:Strong light offends the eye.
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(transitive) To annoy, cause discomfort or resent.
Physically enjoyable frivolity can still offend the conscience
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(intransitive) To sin, transgress divine law or moral rules.
I dailie and hourelie offend in thought, word, and deed, in a relapſe by mine owne weakneſſe and wilfulneſſe, my bonus Genius, my good protecting angel is gone, I am falne from that I was, or would bee, worſe and worſe, […]
1638, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Cure of Deſpaire by Phyſick, good counſell, comforts, &c.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy. […], 5th edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [Robert Young, Miles Flesher, and Leonard Lichfield and William Turner] for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 3, section 4, member 3, subsection 6, page 707:
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(transitive, with "against") To transgress or violate a law or moral requirement.
Wearing faded baggy offends against the club's rules of proper dress.
The plaintiff’s claim is replete with conclusions, expressions of opinion, and evidence. Therefore, the statement of claim offends the rules of pleading and ought to be struck out pursuant to Queen’s Bench Rule 25.11(b).
2014 September 5, Justice James G. Edmond, “Rebillard v. Manitoba (A.G.) et al., 2014 MBQB 181”, in CanLII, retrieved 24 Nov 2025:
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(archaic, obsolete, transitive) To cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall.
"If any man offend not (stumbles not, is not tripped up) in word, the same is a perfect man."
1896, Adolphus Frederick Schauffler, Select Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons, W. A. Wilde company, page 161:"If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out."
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 5:29:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| offends | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| offending | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| offended | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| offended | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Antonyms
talk up · laud · flatter · praise · revere · compliment · commend
Deriveds
offendedness · offendable · offendedly · offendotron · offendor · offendee · repeat offend · reoffend · offender
Hypernyms
ruffle · discompose · provoke · stir up · revile
Hyponyms
flip the bird · moon · flick off · whoop · denigrate · deride · miff · flip off · give the finger
Relateds
despise · defend · fend · enrage · defame · offensive · offense
Synonyms
sneap · slag · insult · heckle · offend · cut down · misrespect · sledge · misbid · scandal · send · affront · abuse · scandalize · slight · hurt someone's feelings · burn · qualifier · wound · misuse · lapidate · diss · carry · give stick · slur · slag off · spite · disrespect · dis
Translations (159)
pl obrazić (to hurt the feelings) · fi häiritä (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · sv förolämpa (to hurt the feelings) · uk обража́ти (to hurt the feelings) · uk скри́вдити (to hurt the feelings) · mi whakaparanga (to hurt the feelings) · ang ǣbylġan (to hurt the feelings) · fi ärsyttää (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · mi muhani (to hurt the feelings) · fi vietellä (to cause to sin or fall) · hu sért (to physically harm, pain) · cs urazit (to hurt the feelings) · ga ciontaigh (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · ru оскорби́ться (to feel or become offended) · sh вре́ђати (to hurt the feelings) · fr blesser (to physically harm, pain) · ca ofendre (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · mn доромжлох (to hurt the feelings) · ca ferir (to physically harm, pain) · ota داغلامق (to hurt the feelings) · ru оби́деться (to feel or become offended) · la offendō (to hurt the feelings) · fr déplaire (to hurt the feelings) · es perjudicar (to physically harm, pain) · nl beledigen (to hurt the feelings) · es dañar (to physically harm, pain) · lb toufen (to hurt the feelings) · cs urážet (to hurt the feelings) · bg дразня (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · fi ärsyttää (to physically harm, pain) · sl užaliti (to hurt the feelings) · sh увре́дити (to hurt the feelings) · nl kwellen (to physically harm, pain) · nl kwellen (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · pl obrazić się (to feel or become offended) · pt ofender-se (to feel or become offended) · nl zich ergeren (to feel or become offended) · pt ofender (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · be абража́ць (to hurt the feelings) · lb beleedegen (to hurt the feelings) · be кры́ўдзіць (to hurt the feelings) · th บาด (to hurt the feelings) · hy վիրավորել (to hurt the feelings) · ota قیرمق (to hurt the feelings) · hi अपमान करना (to hurt the feelings) · hu megütköztet (to hurt the feelings) · ota ییقمق (to hurt the feelings) · ast ofender (to hurt the feelings) · ca damnar (to physically harm, pain) · sl žaliti (to hurt the feelings) · uk уража́ти (to hurt the feelings) · fa آسیب زدن (to physically harm, pain) · ru оскорбля́ть (to hurt the feelings) · nl pijnigen (to physically harm, pain) · sv såra (to hurt the feelings) · lb vexéieren (to hurt the feelings) · lb beleidegen (to hurt the feelings) · ca injuriar (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · sh uvrijéditi (to hurt the feelings) · mk навреди (to hurt the feelings) · ang ǣswician (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · be скры́ўдзіць (to hurt the feelings) · nl irriteren (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · az könlünə dəymək (to hurt the feelings) · ast mancar (to physically harm, pain) · ru оби́деть (to hurt the feelings) · uk окри́вдити (to hurt the feelings) · mn гомдоох (to hurt the feelings) · hu bánt (to physically harm, pain) · sh uvréditi (to hurt the feelings) · bg оби́ждам (to hurt the feelings) · da krænke (to hurt the feelings) · ast dañar (to physically harm, pain) · lb verletzen (to hurt the feelings) · bg престъпвам (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · uk покри́вдити (to hurt the feelings) · nl kwetsen (to physically harm, pain) · ja 気分を害する (to hurt the feelings) · fa خطا کردن (to cause to sin or fall) · mi whakapenopeno (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · pt ofender (to hurt the feelings) · eo ofendi (to hurt the feelings) · io ofensar (to hurt the feelings) · sk urážať (to hurt the feelings) · fi loukata (to hurt the feelings) · uk пору́шувати (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · uk ура́зити (to hurt the feelings) · nl misdoen (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · bg оскърбя́ (to hurt the feelings) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌼𐌰𐍂𐌶𐌾𐌰𐌽 (to hurt the feelings) · nl kwetsen (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · ka შეურაცხყოფა (to hurt the feelings) · it offendere (to hurt the feelings) · bg нарушавам (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · hu megbántódik (to feel or become offended) · sh уврије́дити (to hurt the feelings) · ast ofiender (to hurt the feelings) · uk обра́зити (to hurt the feelings) · ru нару́шить (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · fi loukata (to physically harm, pain) · ar أَهَانَ (to hurt the feelings) · sh vrijéđati (to hurt the feelings) · pl obrażać (to hurt the feelings) · ast perxudicar (to physically harm, pain) · nl kwetsen (to hurt the feelings) · sk uraziť (to hurt the feelings) · ca ofendre (to hurt the feelings) · pl urazić (to hurt the feelings) · pl urażać (to hurt the feelings) · ru обижа́ть (to hurt the feelings) · be абра́зіць (to hurt the feelings) · km ខុសចិត្តគេ (to hurt the feelings) · ru наруша́ть (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · ru оскорби́ть (to hurt the feelings) · fr offenser (to hurt the feelings) · nl ergeren (to annoy, cause discomfort or resent) · ru раздража́ть (to physically harm, pain) · cmn 得罪 (to hurt the feelings) · sh vréđati (to hurt the feelings) · fi loukkaantua (to feel or become offended) · uk обижа́ти (to hurt the feelings) · uk кри́вдити (to hurt the feelings) · fi rikkoa (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · uk окривджа́ти (to hurt the feelings) · fi erehdyttää (to cause to sin or fall) · cmn 觸犯 /触犯 (to hurt the feelings) · hu megbánt (to hurt the feelings) · fi loukata (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · km បញ្ជោះ (to hurt the feelings) · lb kränken (to hurt the feelings) · da förolämpa (to hurt the feelings) · mi tunuhuruhuru (to physically harm, pain) · vi xúc phạm (to hurt the feelings) · be пакры́ўдзіць (to hurt the feelings) · th หลู่ (to hurt the feelings) · ko 기분 상하게 하다 (to hurt the feelings) · om mufachiisuu (to hurt the feelings) · ru оскорбля́ться (to feel or become offended) · ast crismar (to physically harm, pain) · ang ābelgan (to hurt the feelings) · hu vétkezik (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement) · ca perjudicar (to physically harm, pain) · ru обижа́ться (to feel or become offended) · nb fornærme (to hurt the feelings) · mk навредува (to hurt the feelings) · bg оби́дя (to hurt the feelings) · uk оби́дити (to hurt the feelings) · sh врије́ђати (to hurt the feelings) · uk урази́ти (to hurt the feelings) · de beleidigen (to hurt the feelings) · pt prejudicar (to physically harm, pain) · nl aanstoot nemen (to feel or become offended) · lb blesséieren (to hurt the feelings) · bg оскърбя́вам (to hurt the feelings) · ca ofendre's (to feel or become offended) · es hacer daño (to physically harm, pain) · es ofender (to hurt the feelings) · cmn 冒犯 (to hurt the feelings) · fa تخطی (to transgress or violate a law or moral requirement)