offend
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to make someone feel upset, angry, or insulted by what you say or do.
to cause someone to feel resentment, indignation, or hurt through a perceived lack of respect or a violation of social norms.
Simple“I'm sorry if I offended you with my joke; I didn't mean to be rude.”
In context“The diplomat was careful not to offend his hosts by inadvertently ignoring local customs during the formal dinner.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice ('to be offended').
PitfallI am offended from his comments. I am offended by his comments.Use the preposition 'by' or 'at' when describing the cause of the offense.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to commit a crime or break a rule.
to commit an illegal act or violate a formal regulation.
Simple“He was arrested for offending against the new traffic laws.”
In context“The company was fined heavily after it was found to have offended against environmental protection regulations for several years.”
UsageFrequently used with the preposition 'against'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
to be unpleasant to your senses, like a bad smell or a very bright light.
to cause physical or aesthetic discomfort or displeasure to the senses.
Simple“The bright neon sign offended her eyes in the middle of the dark street.”
In context“The harsh, industrial odor of the factory offended the residents of the nearby luxury housing development.”
“The one topic Thomas will not talk about, because it would offend his old-school Southern manners, is himself.”
From Middle French offendre, from Latin offendō (“strike, blunder, commit an offense”), from ob- (“against”) + *fendō (“strike”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.