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Umbrage is a word born in the shadows. Its ultimate source (and that of umbrella) is Latin umbra, meaning “shade, shadow,” and when it was first used in the 15th century it referred to exactly that. But figurative use followed relatively quickly. Shakespeare wrote of Hamlet that "his semblable is his mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more,” and by the 17th century this meaning of “vague suggestion; hint,” had been joined by other uses, including the “feeling of resentment or offense” heard today in such sentences as “many took umbrage at the speaker’s tasteless jokes.” The word’s early literal use is not often encountered, though it does live on in literature: for example, in her 1849 novel, Charlotte Brontë describes how the titular Shirley would relax “at the foot of some tree of friendly umbrage.”
Examples of umbrage in a Sentence
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 15 Sep. 2025
That Carroll took such umbrage only increased Harbaugh’s smile, making for a better story.
—Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
All take umbrage at Senate Bill 3, one of a litany of laws passed in Colorado since 2018 — and one of the most restrictive.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2025
Despite taking umbrage at PSR seeming to put a ceiling on their ambitions, Villa have consistently spent between 80 and 90 per cent in recent years — far more than the UEFA recommendation of 70 per cent.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for umbrage
Cite this Entry
“Umbrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/umbrage. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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umbrage
noun
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