offend verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

offend · ​ · ​[transitive] offend somebody/something to seem unpleasant to somebody · ​[intransitive] (formal) to commit a crime or crimes · ​[intransitive] offend ... Togglenavigation Redeem Upgrade Help Signin Dictionaries Dictionarieshome English AmericanEnglish Academic Collocations German-English Grammar Grammarhome PracticalEnglishUsage Learn&PractiseGrammar(Beta) WordLists WordListshome MyWordLists Topics Recentadditions Resources Resourceshome TextChecker Signin Dictionaries Dictionarieshome English AmericanEnglish Academic Collocations German-English Grammar Grammarhome PracticalEnglishUsage Learn&PractiseGrammar(Beta) WordLists WordListshome MyWordLists Topics Recentadditions Resources Resourceshome TextChecker Redeem Upgrade Help TOP English English AmericanEnglish AcademicEnglish Collocations PracticalEnglishUsage German-English English-German English AmericanEnglish Entersearchtext DefinitionofoffendverbfromtheOxfordAdvancedLearner'sDictionary offendverb  /əˈfend/ /əˈfend/VerbFormspresentsimpleI/you/we/theyoffend /əˈfend/ /əˈfend/he/she/itoffends /əˈfendz/ /əˈfendz/pastsimpleoffended /əˈfendɪd/ /əˈfendɪd/pastparticipleoffended /əˈfendɪd/ /əˈfendɪd/-ingformoffending /əˈfendɪŋ/ /əˈfendɪŋ/ jumptootherresults  [transitive,oftenpassive,intransitive]offend(somebody)tomakesomebodyfeelupsetbecauseofsomethingyousayordothatisrudeorembarrassingThey'llbeoffendedifyoudon'tgototheirwedding.Neildidnotmeantooffendanybodywithhisjoke.Shemanagedtooffendherboyfriend’sparentsassoonassheopenedhermouth.ATVinterviewermustbecarefulnottooffend.ExtraExamplesHewasverysensitiveandeasilyoffended.Omitanythingthatislikelytooffendpeople.Shestoppedmid-sentence,anxiousnottooffendhim.Somepeoplefoundhisjokesfunnybutothersweredeeplyoffended.TopicsFeelingsb2OxfordCollocationsDictionaryadverbdeeplygravelygreatly…verb+offendbelikelytobeanxiousnottobecarefulnotto…prepositionagainstphrasesfeel,look,sound,etc.offendedSeefullentry Questionsaboutgrammarandvocabulary? FindtheanswerswithPracticalEnglishUsageonline,yourindispensableguidetoproblemsinEnglish. Joinus JoinourcommunitytoaccessthelatestlanguagelearningandassessmenttipsfromOxfordUniversityPress! Definitionsonthego Lookupanywordinthedictionaryoffline,anytime,anywherewiththeOxfordAdvancedLearner’sDictionaryapp. Wanttolearnmore? FindoutwhichwordsworktogetherandproducemorenaturalsoundingEnglishwiththeOxfordCollocationsDictionaryapp. [transitive]offendsomebody/somethingtoseemunpleasanttosomebodyThesmellfromthefarmoffendedsomepeople.anuglybuildingthatoffendstheeyeTheshowwascarefulnottooffendlocalsensibilities(=hurtthefeelingsoflocalpeople).OxfordCollocationsDictionaryadverbdeeplygravelygreatly…verb+offendbelikelytobeanxiousnottobecarefulnotto…prepositionagainstphrasesfeel,look,sound,etc.offendedSeefullentry [intransitive](formal)tocommitacrimeorcrimesHestartedoffendingattheageof16.Whatisthebestwaytostopsomeonewhohasoffendedfromrepeatingtheoffence?TopicsCrimeandpunishmentb2[intransitive]offend(againstsomebody/something)(formal)tobeagainstwhatpeoplebelieveismorallyrightcommentsthatoffendagainstpeople’sreligiousbeliefsViewerscomplainedthatthebroadcastoffendedagainstgoodtaste.OxfordCollocationsDictionaryadverbdeeplygravelygreatly…verb+offendbelikelytobeanxiousnottobecarefulnotto…prepositionagainstphrasesfeel,look,sound,etc.offendedSeefullentryWordOriginlateMiddleEnglish:fromOldFrenchoffendre,fromLatinoffendere‘strikeagainst’.SeeoffendintheOxfordAdvancedAmericanDictionarySeeoffendintheOxfordLearner'sDictionaryofAcademicEnglishCheckpronunciation: offend Nearbywords off-dutyadjective offencenoun offendverb offendedadjective offendernoun mystery noun     FromtheTopic Literatureandwriting B1 OxfordLearner'sDictionariesWordoftheDay