offense

noun
UK: /əˈfens/
US: /əˈfens/

  1. A feeling of anger and hurt caused by someone saying or doing something.

    1. I took offense at his rude comment. [ ] [ ]
    2. She meant no offense, it was just a joke about the minor offense. [ ] [ ]

  2. An illegal action; a crime.

    1. Stealing is a serious offense. [ ] [ ]
    2. He was arrested for a minor traffic offense but his lawyer appealed offense. [ ] [ ]

  3. The act of attacking or fighting.

    1. The army launched an offense. [ ] [ ]
    2. Our football team has a strong offense, they will lead offense well. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

insult attack crime
offense verb

  1. To cause someone to feel hurt, angry, or upset by something said or done.

    1. Did I offend you in any way? [ ] [ ]
    2. He didn't mean to offend anyone but offense was high among colleagues. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "offense" in English means: A feeling of anger and hurt caused by someone saying or doing something., An illegal action; a crime., The act of attacking or fighting..

The phonetic transcription of "offense" is /əˈfens/ in British English and /əˈfens/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "offense": insult, attack, crime.

Example usage of "offense": "I took offense at his rude comment.". More examples on the page.