as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
took it as an affront that she wasn't invited to say a few words at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to insult
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
did not mean to affront you when I told you I didn't need your help
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affront
Mason Leath, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2026
Shaban’s chief response to this and other affronts is silence.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2025
Still, whatever his ideological misgivings or sense of being personally affronted, the mayor would be wise to listen to the City Council and add this ordinance to the police’s toolbox for keeping everyone safe.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for affront
Noun
An internal affairs investigation called the behavior an affront to the professionalism otherwise demonstrated by the Chicopee and state police investigators in the case.
—Mason Leath, ABC News, 30 Jan. 2026
Shaban’s chief response to this and other affronts is silence.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Attention also has centered on, among other things, the misuse of AI, deepfakes, hallucinations, AI’s effect on jobs, and safeguarding values that certain AI applications might affront.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2025
Still, whatever his ideological misgivings or sense of being personally affronted, the mayor would be wise to listen to the City Council and add this ordinance to the police’s toolbox for keeping everyone safe.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for affront
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affront
Noun
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The final insult from State Farm came just hours after Karen Powers died, early on the morning of August 2, 2023.—
J.C. Hallman,
Oklahoman,
10 Feb. 2026
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In an appearance on Fox News, the Trump-supporting singer bashed the choice of Bunny, saying the performance was an insult to the MAGA movement.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Northern publishers expurgated literary texts for fear of offending slaveholders; antislavery publications were barred from being mailed in the South.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Perpetually offended, safe spaces, censoring free speech, culture of victimhood.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, sitcoms like Friends marked a movement toward irony in comedy with its trademark tongue-in-cheek banter and sarcasm, Thompson explains.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
31 Jan. 2026
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Eby quipped with her usual dry sarcasm.—
Zoey Lyttle,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The move in the House chamber by Pavalock-D’Amato outraged House Speaker Matt Ritter, who is known for his mild-mannered handling of the 151-member House chamber.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2026
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The concert promoted by the right-wing group founded by the late Charlie Kirk and now run by his widow, Erika, is in response to conservatives outraged over the NFL’s selection of Grammy-winning music superstar Bad Bunny, who sings primarily in Spanish, as the halftime act.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Affront.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affront. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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