umbrage

Synonym Chooser

How is the word umbrage distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of umbrage are dudgeon, huff, offense, pique, and resentment. While all these words mean "an emotional response to or an emotional state resulting from a slight or indignity," umbrage may suggest hurt pride, resentment, or suspicion of another's motives.

took umbrage at the offer of advice

When would dudgeon be a good substitute for umbrage?

Although the words dudgeon and umbrage have much in common, dudgeon suggests an angry fit of indignation.

stormed out of the meeting in high dudgeon

When could huff be used to replace umbrage?

The words huff and umbrage can be used in similar contexts, but huff implies a peevish short-lived spell of anger usually at a petty cause.

in a huff he slammed the door

When is offense a more appropriate choice than umbrage?

While the synonyms offense and umbrage are close in meaning, offense implies hurt displeasure.

takes deep offense at racial slurs

When can pique be used instead of umbrage?

The meanings of pique and umbrage largely overlap; however, pique applies to a transient feeling of wounded vanity.

in a pique I foolishly declined the invitation

When might resentment be a better fit than umbrage?

While in some cases nearly identical to umbrage, resentment suggests lasting indignation or ill will.

harbored a lifelong resentment of his brother

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 umbrage Cowboys fans take umbrage at such claims, but there’s little doubt that the Chiefs games generate monster television numbers. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025 When Vice-President Kamala Harris stopped by Call Her Daddy as part of her campaign trail over the weekend, critics took predictable umbrage. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024 The 25-year-old Olympic gold medalist appears to have taken umbrage with that designation and internalized the criticism during the Pacers' playoff push. Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 Fozzie Bear explained bear markets and Miss Piggy took umbrage at Ted Koppel’s commodities question about pork bellies. Bill Prady, Variety, 3 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for umbrage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for umbrage
Noun
  • Getty Images To date, the post has amassed more than 900 comments from TikTok viewers, many of them poking fun at the golden retriever mother's annoyed expression and shallow huffs.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
  • The chute opens, and rambunctious No. 2 bursts out with an impatient huff.
    Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The Sweeney ad has been the subject of both online praise and anger for over a week.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2025
  • And our film has caused disruption and fierce anger among veteran photographers all these decades later.
    Gary Knight, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • His frustration came to a head in the top of the seventh inning during an at-bat by Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., during which Kotsay was ejected, that had one pitch fully in the strike zone and one borderline pitch both called balls, according to MLB.com’s live gamecast.
    Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2025
  • On July 29, Trump cut the window to 10 days, citing frustration with Russia's continued drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • At the heart of Nugent’s indignation was the 2021 sting operation that entangled him and three other landowners in a legal battle with the DNR.
    Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2025
  • That indignation, those headlines, the praise for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s bravery and leadership cooling dramatically since those early days–in Europe and America.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • Beck is in a state of high dudgeon, because there’s a big shipment due and two of his drivers are AWOL.
    Chris Klimek, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Close’s game, canny performance of reliving her own past couldn’t quite obscure the ungainliness of some of Webber’s songs, the dudgeon and occasional monotony of the sung-through score, or the strain of trying to generate plot friction in a story with only four major characters.
    Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • The techno synths layer it in nervousness and genuine exasperation.
    Peter A. Berry, Variety, 22 July 2025
  • So, when yet another Windows update problem emerges, the user base heaves yet another sigh of exasperation.
    Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025
Noun
  • Bing had complained of harassment and left behind a manifesto filled with resentment.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
  • Your job should challenge you—not drain you to the point of resentment.
    Sherry Taylor, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025
Noun
  • If the body senses irritation in the nose and is not in a deep stage of sleep, then someone may wake up to sneeze.
    Valerie Cacho, Verywell Health, 29 July 2025
  • These combinations can cause irritation or reduce effectiveness.
    Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 29 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Umbrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/umbrage. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.

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