offense

English · Français · Deutsch · Thesaurus

AI In plain words

Writing a short explanation…

Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.

offense

/əˈfɛns/
/ˈɔf.ɛns/
/ˈɑf.ɛns/

Rhymes with -ɛns

Where it comes from

From Middle English offence, from Old French offense, from Latin offensa (“a striking against; displeasure; injury”).

noun offenses · offence

US, countable, uncountable A crime or sin. The slave fully appreciates the saying, "where ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise." When old master's gestures were violent, ending with a threatening shake of the head, and a sharp snap of his middle finger and thumb, I deemed it wise to keep at a respectable distance from him; for, at such
Similar: misdoing, transgression, wrongdoing, crime, delict, delinquency, error, malfeasance, misdeed, misdemeanor, offense, peccadillo · Opposite: defence, defense
US, countable, uncountable An affront, injury, or insult. Thus I have ventur'd to give my Opinion on this Subject againſt the Authority of tvvo great men, but I hope vvithout offence to either of their Memories, for I both lov'd them living, and reverence them now they are dead.
Similar: dis, put-down, slight · Opposite: defence, defense
US, countable, uncountable The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure.
Similar: miff, offendedness, pique, umbrage
US, countable, uncountable A strategy and tactics employed when in position to score; contrasted with defense.
US, countable, uncountable The portion of a team dedicated to scoring when in position to do so; contrasted with defense.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: misdemeanour, violation, infringement, infraction, offensive, discourtesy, umbrage, misdemeanor, offence, offensive activity, offending, scandal, abuse, transgression, criminal, fault

noun

Translations

Every language

noun act of offending against the law

हिन्दी	वार vār
Português	ofensa, delito, transgressão
Deutsch	Vergehen
Ελληνικά	αδίκημα adíkima
Română	ofensă
Русский	преступле́ние prestuplénije, правонаруше́ние pravonarušénije
עברית	עֲבֵרָה 'averá

noun act of offending against manners

Español	ofensa
Português	ofensa, insulto
Ελληνικά	προσβολή prosvolí
Română	ofensă
Русский	просту́пок prostúpok

noun state of being offended

Deutsch	beleidigt sein, gekränkt sein
Ελληνικά	θυμός thymós
Русский	оби́да obída, оскорбле́ние oskorblénije
עברית	עֶלְבּוֹן elbón

noun strategy and tactics employed when in position to score

Português	ataque
Français	attaque, offensive
Ελληνικά	επίθεση epíthesi
Română	ofensivă
Русский	нападе́ние napadénije
עברית	הַתְקָפָה hatqafá

noun portion of a team dedicated to scoring

Português	ataque
Français	attaque, attaquants
Ελληνικά	επίθεση epíthesi
Română	atacant
עברית	הַתְקָפָה hatqafá

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"offense." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/offense. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

offense. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/offense

Chicago

"offense." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/offense.

BibTeX

@misc{offense_2026,
  title = {offense},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/offense},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}