# offending

/əˈfɛndɪŋ/ (US) · /əfˈɛndɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/offending
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. causing a problem

adjective · CEFR B2

responsible for a problem or an unpleasant situation.

For teachers: identifying the specific person or thing responsible for a violation, nuisance, or error.

- The plumber finally found the offending pipe that was leaking water.
- Once the technician removed the offending line of code, the entire software system began to function normally again.

### 2. committing a crime

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

the act of breaking the law or doing something wrong.

For teachers: the act of committing a crime or a social offence; often used in legal or sociological contexts.

- The government is trying to find ways to reduce youth offending in the city.
- Research suggests that early intervention programmes are significantly more effective at reducing re-offending than traditional punitive measures alone.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun or as part of a compound like 're-offending'.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.