OFFENDING Synonyms: 179 Similar and Opposite Words

offending 1 of 2

adjective

as in insulting

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offending

2 of 2

verb

present participle of offend

as in trespassing

to commit an offense since this is the first time you've offended, we'll let you off lightly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 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 offending

Adjective

Chmerkovskiy quickly took down the offending TikTok, but not before fan screenshots proliferated and Inaba got wind of it. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026 And some of the offending treatment plants have been breaking the law repeatedly for over a decade. — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 4 Sep. 2026 Fortunately, many dahlia insect problems in September can be solved by walking through the garden in the morning and plucking the offending insects off the plants by hand, then dropping them into a container of soapy water. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026 The sheriff said the jail places strong emphasis on inmate programs designed to reduce re-offending. — Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 When physical aggression is directed at White players such as Cunningham or Caitlin Clark, commentators have repeatedly shown a willingness to search for explanations that soften the actions of the offending player. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026 Trump struck the offending clauses and blamed Cohn for having crafted them. — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 The offending stories, according to the Times, focused on security concerns surrounding the new luxurious Air Force One jet, a gift from the Qatari government. — David Folkenflik, NPR, 23 July 2026 The company is still carrying out a voluntary recall of the offending greens, a move first announced on Friday. — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 22 July 2026

Verb

The danger here is not just offending the sensibilities of a group that the marketing team had not considered, but also that group sharing their offense with friends and relatives in their countries of origin. — Ivan Doruda, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 For that, their game — analyzing randomness and violence and doing so without offending our intelligence — has become as important to the American audience as The Game. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026 While Presley made appearances on The Milton Berle Show and The Steve Allen Show, among many others, Sullivan had hesitations about platforming the provocative singer, whose dance moves thrilled some audiences while offending others. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 11 Sep. 2026 The offending quote, which NBC News obtained by using The Wayback Machine internet archive, was published by The Jerusalem Post on Saturday. — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026 Instead of pesticides, scout the garden regularly and pick off offending insects by hand. — Paula Weatherby, Florida Times-Union, 5 Sep. 2026 Here’s what to bring, when to show up and how to ask for a better price without offending the person who grew your dinner. — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 1 Sep. 2026 DeChatelet, an acting instructor at Florida Atlantic University, uses his halting speech to depict a person who’s afraid of offending anyone. — Oline Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 Reporting the name of the centerfielder in The Sun so incensed the offending player’s mother, Bertman wondered if such coverage was really necessary? — Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for offending

Adjective

Afterward, Lisa brags about her pickpocketing skills and says theft is easier and less insulting to the mark.

— Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
The mother was waiting with her daughter for her other children to get off a school bus when Blanco allegedly approached and made insulting comments, Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said, according to WPRI.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of insulting

Verb

Israel wages war on childhood because a Palestinian child at play is already trespassing upon the future Israel has reserved for itself.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
The Tohono O’odham Nation said that even if construction were contained to the Roosevelt Reservation, driving onto tribal land to access the area still constitutes trespassing.

— Mikella Schuettler, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of trespassing

Verb

The Hitlerite hordes are murdering and outraging the peaceful inhabitants of our country, having no mercy on women, children or old people.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
On Day 1 of the truce, and in the days since, Israel has stepped up attacks against Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, in Lebanon, outraging Iran and leading to accusations the terms had been breached.

— Justin Fishel, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026

Definition of outraging

Verb

In the letter, Omar's attorneys accused the Justice Department of violating longstanding agency policy designed to avoid potentially influencing an election.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
He was arrested again a week later after violating a protection order by trying to contact the woman, according to the arrest affidavit.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of violating

Adjective

North Korea described the Hero Kim Kun Ok as one of the navy’s key offensive assets when it was unveiled in 2023.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Given all of Los Angeles’ injuries along its offensive line, this weekend’s matchup should present opportunities for the Chiefs’ front seven to get back to the quarterback — and perhaps earn a Cram Award along the way.

— Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of offensive

Verb

The disruption has sent transits through the straits of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb falling sharply after mostly recovering to their pre-war levels.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
This all comes at a time when supply is falling — and falling faster than demand is recovering.

— Diana Olick, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of falling

Verb

The single most difficult part of Rainbeau’s job last season was to stay up on lates with Solène, having to do both their jobs while Solène was busy having a glass of wine or breaking someone’s heart.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Katie Zacharia made her debut as Donald Trump‘s new White House press secretary on Tuesday with a very short briefing that nevertheless offered a bit of breaking news as well as a lot of praise and thanks for her new boss.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of breaking

Adjective

Of course, parents should intervene when a coach is abusive or a child is genuinely being mistreated.

— Jonathan Alpert OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
The policy prohibited speakers from directing remarks to individual council members and restricted comments considered personal or abusive.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of abusive

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Style

“Offending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offending. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of offending

adjective

verb

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