as in insults
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
took it as an affront that she wasn't invited to say a few words at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in offends
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
did not mean to affront you when I told you I didn't need your help
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affronts
Hussein Kalout, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
These constituencies view the sanctions and the tariffs as otherwise legal instruments weaponized for geopolitical purposes—and as direct affronts to Brazil’s democratic integrity.
—Hussein Kalout, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affronts
Noun
-
Egyptian influencers linked to intelligence fronts launched vicious personal attacks, including ethnic slurs, against the Saudi royal family and graphic insults targeting the crown prince.—
Khaled Hassan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Sep. 2025
-
After a brief pause, the messages resumed months later and escalated to 40-50 a day, ranging from insults about Lauryn’s appearance to alarming threats against her relationship.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Think of the chatbots that enrage customers, copy that erases brand voice, email that offends prospects, or sales outreach that overwhelms without engaging.—
Andrea Hill,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Content that outrages, polarizes or triggers anxiety keeps us watching.—
Avital Pardo,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In some states, the oppression and the indignities around reproductive health extends beyond menstruation to birth.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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But Souleymane’s difficulties go beyond the usual indignities of scant pay and exhausting hours.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affronts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affronts. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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