no offense

idiom
UK: /ˌnəʊ əˈfens/
US: /ˌnoʊ əˈfens/

  1. A phrase used to politely introduce a statement that might offend someone.

    1. No offense, but that hat doesn't suit you. [ ] [ ]
    2. No offense intended, but I think you're mistaken about the details of the project because I was there. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

pardon my french excuse me
no offense interjection

  1. A disclaimer said before saying something potentially hurtful or critical.

    1. No offense, I think your idea is bad. [ ] [ ]
    2. I have to be honest, no offense, your cooking is terrible, but you are a great person. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "no offense" is /ˌnəʊ əˈfens/ in British English and /ˌnoʊ əˈfens/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "no offense": pardon my french, excuse me.

Example usage of "no offense": "No offense, but that hat doesn't suit you.". More examples on the page.