as in insulting
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1
as in trespassing
to commit an offense
since this is the first time you've offended, we'll let you off lightly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in outraging
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
the visitor unintentionally offended his hosts terribly by failing to compliment them on the elaborately prepared meal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in violating
to fail to keep
offended conventional standards of uniformity by not adhering to the company dress code
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of offending
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
The Defringe option in Affinity improves matters, but the software doesn't have an eyedropper to hone in on the offending shade of magenta.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
But instead of simply coating the offending area with air freshener or lighting a candle to mask the odor, learn how to address unwanted smells at the source.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
The BAFTAs air on a two-hour delay, more than enough time to remove the offending outburst from the broadcast.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Emma wriggled obediently out of the offending articles.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The owner of the offending Bin Ladin-esque wall earned the money to build said wall thanks to an apparently successful series of books combining New Age quackery and extraterrestrial quackery.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Washington qualifies for an additional life sentence for re-offending after being released from prison, prosecutors said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Many of the offending cooks got their paperwork in order and fixed their problems after some time.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
At the same time, evangelists of a robust atheism—figures such as the biologist Richard Dawkins, the critic Christopher Hitchens, and the neuroscientist Sam Harris—toured the country offending salt-of-the-earth Americans with their contempt for religious belief.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Across the market, streamers appear increasingly reluctant to touch documentaries that risk offending political power centers or their allies.
—Addie Morfoot, IndieWire, 22 Mar. 2026
When acute injury is diagnosed quickly, clinicians can remove offending drugs or add protective ones.
—Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Paramount+ is being very protective of the series’ plot, though before anything really happens, the offending binary is established.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
If a co-worker interrupts a research stretch, calmly propose another time to avoid offending them or messing with your pre-set schedule.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
O'Herrin notes that chopping down the offending tree is not going solve your issue in the long term.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Targeting is forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck area where the offending player often uses the crown of his helmet to make contact or launches his body into the opposing player above the shoulders.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Something seems to be afoot, since the offending robots were operated by two different companies.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
The Defringe option in Affinity improves matters, but the software doesn't have an eyedropper to hone in on the offending shade of magenta.
—Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
But instead of simply coating the offending area with air freshener or lighting a candle to mask the odor, learn how to address unwanted smells at the source.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
The BAFTAs air on a two-hour delay, more than enough time to remove the offending outburst from the broadcast.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026
Emma wriggled obediently out of the offending articles.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
The owner of the offending Bin Ladin-esque wall earned the money to build said wall thanks to an apparently successful series of books combining New Age quackery and extraterrestrial quackery.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
Washington qualifies for an additional life sentence for re-offending after being released from prison, prosecutors said.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026
Many of the offending cooks got their paperwork in order and fixed their problems after some time.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
Given all the competition in the airline industry, and choices travelers have, offending anyone is dangerous.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
At the same time, evangelists of a robust atheism—figures such as the biologist Richard Dawkins, the critic Christopher Hitchens, and the neuroscientist Sam Harris—toured the country offending salt-of-the-earth Americans with their contempt for religious belief.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Across the market, streamers appear increasingly reluctant to touch documentaries that risk offending political power centers or their allies.
—Addie Morfoot, IndieWire, 22 Mar. 2026
When acute injury is diagnosed quickly, clinicians can remove offending drugs or add protective ones.
—Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Paramount+ is being very protective of the series’ plot, though before anything really happens, the offending binary is established.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
If a co-worker interrupts a research stretch, calmly propose another time to avoid offending them or messing with your pre-set schedule.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
O'Herrin notes that chopping down the offending tree is not going solve your issue in the long term.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Targeting is forcible contact with an opponent’s head or neck area where the offending player often uses the crown of his helmet to make contact or launches his body into the opposing player above the shoulders.
—Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offending
Adjective
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While their insulting jabs at each other make for good laughs, their arc as teammates learning to work together is what gives the film its heart.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Prestianni, who has denied racially insulting Vinícius and has been defended by Benfica, was provisionally suspended for one match by UEFA and did not play in the second leg.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Transit officials said the fence was essential and long overdue to prevent people from trespassing on the tracks and being killed, as trains were becoming faster and more frequent.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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On Monday, March 2, two weeks before the fire, the person living in the basement apartment in the building complained to the property manager that Slate was trespassing in the maintenance and boiler area, Pekara said.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In their filing in Sacramento Superior Court, the residents accuse city officials of violating Measure O, which mandates that interim shelters sit more than 500 feet away from bodies of water or streams.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Sculptor and illustrator Jacques Tilly, who designed the aforementioned float, has been reported to the police for disseminating hate speech and violating the Criminal Code, which prohibits the use of Nazi imagery for purposes not expressly linked to art, scholarship, teaching, or reporting.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The rule has been expanded that teams must interview two minority candidates for openings at head coach, general managers and the offensive and defensive coordinator jobs.—
Mac Engel
March 30,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Linebackers or offensive linemen?—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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All of this comes at a time when the market has greater appetite for larger scale deals, despite Lauder’s falling stock price.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These titles include Hijra, from ground-breaking Saudi director Shahad Ameen; TIFF selections Amoeba by Tan Siyou and Maddie by John Early as well as AI documentary Intelligence Rising from Oscar and BAFTA winning filmmaker Elena Andreicheva.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
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His most recent stop before Arkansas was in Baltimore, Maryland, as a night and breaking news editor.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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After years of working to rid Missouri of abusive Christian boarding schools, child advocates and some lawmakers fear a bill still alive in the legislature would undo that effort.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Every so often, Nancy becomes abusive with my wife.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After six months of backpacking, Martha was feeling very Taoist, very detached, just a big naked eyeball wandering around, absorbing all the astonishing things there were to see at the frayed edges of a defunct feudal empire.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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Though the original clip is authentic, showing seven dogs wandering down the side of a highway in northeastern Jilin province, Chinese state media has since debunked the narrative of their escape and journey home.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offending. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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