Word
insult
Phoneticsin·sult, stress on the first syllable
/ˈɪnˌsəɫt/
Definitions
01a rude remark
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a rude or offensive remark or action that is intended to hurt someone's feelings.
n. a remark or action intended to be insolent or contemptuous. Countable in the sense of a specific remark; uncountable when referring to the behavior in general.
日本語:侮辱※
“He took it as a personal insult when they didn't invite him to the party.”
“The politician's speech was perceived as a calculated insult to the local community, sparking immediate protests outside the town hall.”
Antonyms
02physical injury
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine Technical
n. an injury or something that causes damage to a part of your body.
n. a physical injury, trauma, or a stimulus that causes damage to a tissue or organ.
“The brain can suffer a serious insult if it does not get enough oxygen.”
“The patient's liver had sustained a significant toxic insult due to prolonged exposure to industrial chemicals.”
Usage
Often used in phrases like 'cerebral insult' or 'toxic insult'.
03to be rude to someone
B1 · Intermediate
v. to say or do something rude to someone because you want to offend them.
v. to treat with offensive insolence or contempt; to affront deliberately.
日本語:侮辱する※
“I didn't mean to insult your cooking; I just wasn't very hungry.”
“The diplomat was careful not to insult his hosts by refusing the traditional meal, even though he found the flavors quite challenging.”
Synonyms
04a military attack
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Military Archaic · Formal
n. a sudden attack on a place, especially one made without much preparation.
n. a sudden, unannounced assault or onset, particularly one executed without formal preparation or siege works.
“The fort was taken by insult in the middle of the night.”
“The commander decided to take the outpost by insult rather than wait for the heavy artillery to arrive for a formal siege.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “insult” in context.
Verb
01. add insult to injury
“To add insult to injury, the company not only fired him but also refused to pay his final bonus.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. hurl an insult
“Angry protesters began to hurl insults at the politicians as they left the building.”
verb + noun
03. take something as an insult
“I hope you don't take my constructive criticism as a personal insult.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. calculated insult
“His silence during the toast was seen as a calculated insult to the host.”
adj + noun
05. gratuitous insult
“The reviewer's comments were full of gratuitous insults that had nothing to do with the book's quality.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. barrage of insults
“The referee had to endure a constant barrage of insults from the home crowd.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. as an insult to
“The low settlement offer was regarded by the victims as an insult to their suffering.”
prep + noun + prep
Real-World Examples
“Rural campaign groups argue it is impossible to put a price on the loss of landscapes, and some residents living close to proposed projects say the money being offered is an insult.” “She added it was an "insult to Andrew's family, his friends, his colleagues and the entire policing family".” Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle French insulter (modern French insulter (“to insult”)) or its etymon Latin īnsultō (“to spring, leap or jump at or upon; to abuse, insult, revile, taunt”), the frequentative form of īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + saliō (“to bound, jump, leap; to spring forth; to flow down”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sel- (“to spring”)). The noun is derived from Middle French insult (modern French insulte (“insult”)) or its etymon Late Latin insultus (“insult, reviling, scoffing”), from īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”); see above.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/insult
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0