ENGLISH
REFERENCE

offended

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //əˈfɛndəd// UK //əfˈɛndɪd// of·fend·ed

adj. feeling upset, hurt, or angry because someone said or did something rude. You feel this way when you think someone has shown a lack of respect.

adj. feeling resentful, hurt, or annoyed as a result of a perceived insult or lack of respect. Often follows a linking verb such as 'feel' or 'become'.


SIMPLE

He felt offended by her rude comment.

CONTEXTUAL

She was deeply offended when they didn't invite her to the wedding after years of friendship.

COMPLEX

While some viewers found the comedian's sharp social commentary insightful, others were visibly offended by what they perceived as a series of insensitive stereotypes regarding local traditions.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Often takes the preposition 'by' or 'at' to indicate the cause of the feeling.

Pitfall

I am offensive by your wordsI am offended by your wordsLearners often confuse the passive adjective 'offended' (how you feel) with the active adjective 'offensive' (the thing that causes the feeling).

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