OFFENSES Synonyms: 192 Similar and Opposite Words

offenses

noun

variants or offences

plural of offense

as in crimes

a breaking of a moral or legal code wartime offenses that are crimes against all of humanity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in assaults

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in insults

an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings a diplomat never deliberately gives offense

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in angers

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

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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 offenses So surrounding Antetokounmpo with shooting was the smart strategy, because the data suggests offenses play at well above-average levels when the two-time MVP is paired with elite shooting. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 The police will have to disclose only reports of crimes that took place on the campus itself, and not reports concerning burglary, larceny and other offenses, which the judge deemed irrelevant. — Joaquin Sapien, ProPublica, 28 Aug. 2026 With a top returning quarterback in Jayden Maiava, real depth along the offensive line and one of the Big Ten’s best backfield tandems in Waymond Jordan and King Miller, USC should once again have one of the nation’s top offenses. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 See top recruits, productive returners and rising stars set to command their offenses this fall. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 Kiffin is almost certain to field explosive offenses and stockpile talent through the transfer portal. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 One year later, Marius was found guilty of multiple offenses — including two counts of rape — following a six-week trial that came to an end in June 2026. — Emma Kershaw, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026 Jurors also have the option to find Clancy guilty of the lesser offenses of second-degree murder — punishable by a life sentence with the possibility of parole — or manslaughter, which carries a 20-year maximum sentence. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Federal authorities arrested 11 cruise crew members in Boston as part of a multi-agency operation targeting child exploitation offenses. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for offenses

Noun

Critics say police have used the cameras to stalk women or wrongfully accuse people of crimes.

— Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Investigators continue to review evidence before it is presented to a grand jury, who will ultimately decide if any crimes took place, Jackson County district attorney Angel Myers McIlrath has said.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of crimes

Noun

His defense attorney previously said the assaults were not politically motivated and that DeFoor suffers from mental health issues.

— Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
The strikes marked the sixth straight day of heavy Russian attacks on Kyiv that began last week and are an unprecedented stretch of consecutive aerial assaults since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than 4½ years ago.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of assaults

Noun

He was subsequently dismissed by Dior and, months later, found guilty by a French court of making public insults based on origin, religion, race, or ethnicity.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 31 Aug. 2026
The arrest came after Kelley Wolf had reportedly made a series of hostile social media posts, which featured insults and allegations against various friends and family, including her ex-husband, Wolf.

— Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of insults

Noun

But our frustrations and inconvenience pale in comparison to the sadness of those who knew the deceased or to the trauma the drivers involved experienced.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026
One year before his triumph in the 2026 US Open, Clark missed the cut at the same tournament and took his frustrations out on the Oakmont Country Club locker room, causing enough damage that the famous club outside Pittsburgh banned him for life.

— Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of frustrations

Noun

After the story was published, YouTube removed several channels for content violations.

— Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Other alleged violations — which total 23 in all — range from not having any smoke or carbon monoxide detectors throughout the property to failing to maintain the building in a structurally safe and stable condition.

— Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of violations

Noun

Russia pounded Kyiv for more than 12 hours in a sixth straight night of attacks, killing at least 12 people including six railway workers and an Indian citizen, and devastating civilian districts.

— Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Despite the recent attacks, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told reporters in Caracas, Venezuela that 17 million barrels of oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the largest amount since the conflict began.

— Gordon Lubold, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of attacks

Noun

Look, of the outrages, these are like the least among them, as far as being upset with the administration, with the president.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 June 2026
More recently, Tandy Hills experienced issues with ATVs being driven through the park and damaging wildflowers, sparking outrages on social media from people who demanded the city take action.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026

Definition of outrages

Noun

When their ailing mother comes to live with them, old resentments resurface, forcing both women to confront grief, faith, ambition, and the fragile bonds that hold a family together.

— Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
The players air their grievances, which are essentially a pile of petty conflicts and resentments that, as Alice warned, can be traced back to the team fracturing into cliques.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of resentments

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offense

offenses

offensive

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“Offenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offenses. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of offenses

noun

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