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
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Recent Examples of offending
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
According to a separate memo sent to department employees, the return to Times New Roman takes effect Wednesday and all templates for official documents are to be updated to remove the offending Calibri font.
—Matthew Lee, Fortune, 11 Dec. 2025
Named after the former Boulder County Sheriff, the Joe Pelle Center is an alternative sentencing facility that will replace private halfway houses in the county and hopes to lower the chances of criminals re-offending.
—Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 19 Nov. 2025
Simons was the offending party on Bane’s swipe, and he was beaten for an and-one dunk in transition shortly thereafter.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Every year, crews treat about a quarter of the offending streams.
—Katie Thornton, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
By Wednesday afternoon, DHS appears to have taken down the Von-offending video.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
On hotter, stormier worlds, these reactions speed up, drawing more of the offending carbon dioxide into rock.
—Peter Brannen, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
For example, coordination with KYB providers can be effective for identifying other telecom assets under the control or ownership of the offending CSP.
—Peter Ford, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Bloomberg, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026
The offending artwork was taken down on Monday, the same day WaPo notified the agency.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 7 Jan. 2026
Musk said at that time that X decided to delete Lucre’s offending posts but to reinstate the right-wing influencer to the platform.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 6 Jan. 2026
Unnamed juveniles have also been listed as co-conspirators, and the ages that some are alleged to have begun offending are as young as 13 or 14, according to law enforcement.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 1 Jan. 2026
When a clash between a student and another teacher divides the university, the employer commands Agathe to befriend the offending student and the two develop an instant but irritating intellectual intimacy.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
Originally set in the South, CBS instructed Serling to change the setting, for fear of offending southern viewers.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 30 Dec. 2025
Baudelaire and his publisher were prosecuted and fined for offending public morality, and several poems were outright banned, removed from later editions.
—Literary Hub, 22 Dec. 2025
Usually, the offending party has never tasted a good one, and Collin Street Bakery is the place that changes minds.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Many of the offending cooks got their paperwork in order and fixed their problems after some time.
—Verb
Its safety initiatives, which about 15% of its staff work on, include using machine learning to identify and remove offending content and equipping community moderators to uphold its policies, its website shows.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for offending
Adjective
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Many researchers cite those exact words as insulting or wrong when asked about their own terminations.—
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With two toddlers and a 10-hour workday for her husband, the advice was more insulting than helpful.—
Verb
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Our shoulders, hands, and arms may pass through private airspace because the 10th Circuit Court ruled that’s not trespassing.—
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The notice warned that anyone who remained could be subject to arrest for trespassing.—
Verb
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Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire.—
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The 22-year-old woman died while in police custody after being detained for allegedly violating dress codes.—
Adjective
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But unlike his son, Trent was an offensive lineman, per the Clarion Ledger.—
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Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith confirmed Thursday that the Tennessee Titans have reached out to interview him for their head coach opening.—
Verb
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
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Shop my favorite airport looks for winter travel below, with each outfit falling at or below $100.—
Verb
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Unfortunately for Hutchinson, this was his least distinguished game since breaking into the team last month.—
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Chris Redd is breaking his silence on the circumstances that led to him dating Saturday Night Live castmate Kenan Thompson's ex-wife, Christina Evangeline.—
Adjective
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On The Rookie, Jenna Dewan shared screentime with her real-life fiancé, Steve Kazee, who played her frightening, abusive husband, Jason Wyler.—
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The story follows a young woman, a lifelong swimmer and Olympic hopeful, who accepts a college swimming scholarship in Texas in order to escape an abusive father and an alcoholic, suicidal mother.—
Verb
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The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.—
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The cafe is known for its panoramic view of small planes taking off or landing but also for past concerns about customers wandering off the driveway into the path of taxiing planes.—
Cite this Entry
“Offending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offending. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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