offending
adj. B2 Upper Intermediate US //əˈfɛndɪŋ// UK //əfˈɛndɪŋ// of·fend·ing
adj. causing someone to feel hurt, angry, or upset. It can also describe something that breaks a rule or causes a problem.
adj. causing resentment, anger, or displeasure; in a legal or technical context, refers to the specific item or person responsible for a violation or nuisance.
The offending smell came from the old fridge.
After several complaints about the loud music, the manager asked the offending guests to leave the hotel.
The editor spent the afternoon removing the offending passages from the manuscript to ensure the final publication would not violate any local decency laws.
Usage
Often used attributively before a noun to identify the source of a problem.