offend

B2 Topic:Describing People

US /əˈfɛnd/ See IPA manual

Freq #7350

Meanings

1

verb
To upset or annoy someone by saying or doing something rude or hurtful.

I hope my honest answer didn't offend you.
2

verb
To commit a crime or break the law.

He had offended several times before and was finally sent to prison.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to upset or annoy someone... pique

2 verb · to commit a crime or break... break

More abuse affront burn carry dis disrespect diss heckle insult lapidatemisbidmisrespect

Opposites

commend compliment flatter laud praise revere

Word family

Forms offendedoffendingoffendsunoffending

Derived forms offendableoffendedlyoffendednessoffendeeoffenderoffendoroffendotronreoffend

Related forms defame defend despise enrage fend offense offensive

Etymology

From Middle French offendre, from Latin offendō (“strike, blunder, commit an offense”), from ob- (“against”) + *fendō (“strike”).

*gʷʰen- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

External links

# offend

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈfɛnd/
**Frequency rank:** 7350

## Meanings
1. To upset or annoy someone by saying or doing something rude or hurtful.
2. To commit a crime or break the law.

## Examples
- I hope my honest answer didn't offend you.
- He had offended several times before and was finally sent to prison.

## Synonyms
- abuse
- affront
- burn
- carry
- dis
- disrespect
- diss
- heckle
- insult
- lapidate
- misbid
- misrespect

## Antonyms
- commend
- compliment
- flatter
- laud
- praise
- revere

## Derived Forms
- offendable
- offendedly
- offendedness
- offendee
- offender
- offendor
- offendotron
- reoffend

## Related Forms
- defame
- defend
- despise
- enrage
- fend
- offense
- offensive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gʷʰen-

## Etymology
From Middle French offendre, from Latin offendō (“strike, blunder, commit an offense”), from ob- (“against”) + *fendō (“strike”).

## AI Etymology
Offend comes from Middle French offendre, from Latin offendō (“strike, blunder, commit an offense”), from ob- (“against”) + *fendō (“strike”). Modern senses include to upset or annoy someone by saying or doing something rude or hurtful and to commit a crime or break the law. The wider word family includes derivatives such as offendable, offendedly, offendedness, offendee, offender, and offendor and related forms such as defame, defend, despise, and enrage.

## Topics
- Describing People

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offend

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