variants
or offence
1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code
wartime offenses that are crimes against all of humanity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offensive
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
combat casualties grew enormously as the weapons of offense became far more technologically advanced than defensive armor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in outrage
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
a diplomat never deliberately gives offense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in resentment
the feeling of being offended or resentful after a slight or indignity
my mother was prone to take offense even at the most innocent remark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of offense
The offense remained ice cold, despite being gifted a run, and the bullpen sprung a couple of leaks.
—
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Over 40 cases have been filed in district court, which hears the most serious federal offenses, including assault, gun and drug charges.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The offense is bending over backward to not blame the starting pitchers.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
The team will not have Tyler Lockett or D.K. Metcalf on the offense, leaving the door open for Jaxon Smith-Njigba to lead the receiving corps.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offense
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Over 40 cases have been filed in district court, which hears the most serious federal offenses, including assault, gun and drug charges.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
The offense is bending over backward to not blame the starting pitchers.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Sep. 2025
The team will not have Tyler Lockett or D.K. Metcalf on the offense, leaving the door open for Jaxon Smith-Njigba to lead the receiving corps.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offense
Noun
-
Intersectionality proposes that societal problems such as crime and illiteracy correct themselves if opportunities and environments are evened out via public policy.—
John Scott Lewinski,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Beyond crime, social issues and weather, my happy place has always been the zoo.—
Liz Dufour,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Tens of thousands of reservists began to report for duty on Tuesday for a new Israeli offensive to seize Gaza City, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to accelerate despite warnings from senior ranks.—
Emily Rose,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Syria’s military lacked the will to defend its cities, and Damascus fell just 10 days after the offensive began.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Trump was made aware of the incident on Sunday and expressed outrage in a speech on Monday.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Additionally, where is the outrage from the Mainstream Media on this horrible tragedy?—
Khaleda Rahman
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel Hamnet imagined the relationship between the Bard and his spouse as an intimate tale of lust, compromise, joy, resentment, support, and sorrow.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Her plaintive denials on screen are robbed of any credibility by an inescapable sense of overwhelming resentment.—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert,
NPR,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Investigators later confirmed his DNA matched evidence from that case and others, including attacks in Okemos, Michigan, in 1994; Birmingham, Michigan, in 1995; and Columbus, Ohio, in 1997, as well as two assaults in Ventura in the early 1980s.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Though Smith was charged with four counts of assault for scaring and endangering the villagers, troopers did not say he was involved in his mother’s death.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Perhaps, like Elizabeth in the face of Darcy’s insult, Austen would also be prompted to spread spirited gossip about her heroine’s doubters and haters.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
-
When big gatherings of police and federal agents suddenly show up in residential areas, crowds often meet them with cell phone cameras, righteous indignation and insults.—
Daniel C. Vock,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In the wake of a transfer deadline that brought anger and worry from many supporters, the Wolves chairman gave an interview of more than half an hour to the club’s in-house television channel.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Others echo the same sentiment, stressing that his anger is more than understandable.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As aid groups say famine has already taken hold, the assault risks the lives of remaining hostages—captured by Hamas in its October 2023 attack—while Netanyahu faces mounting political turmoil at home, even as Washington continues to hold Hamas responsible for prolonging the conflict.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Even when put under lighter sanctions in 2018, during the Salisbury chemical attack, claims of election interference, and criminal cyber operations continued.—
Earl Carr,
Forbes.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offense. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share