as in offensive
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as in offending
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in
insulted their hosts by casually remarking about the outdated look of their home
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insulting
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2026
Many researchers cite those exact words as insulting or wrong when asked about their own terminations.
—Stat Staff, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
Despite his mediator role, Rodríguez is also known for his explosive temperament, lashing out in Congress and publicly threatening and insulting members of the opposition.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insulting
Adjective
Adjusted for inflation, the math works out somewhere between grim and insulting as the danger escalates for the series’ cast but the reward barely keeps pace.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2026
Many researchers cite those exact words as insulting or wrong when asked about their own terminations.
—Stat Staff, STAT, 29 Dec. 2025
Verb
Trump loves insulting Newsom, who is both a leading contender for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination and an eager troll himself.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
Despite his mediator role, Rodríguez is also known for his explosive temperament, lashing out in Congress and publicly threatening and insulting members of the opposition.
—Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insulting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insulting
Adjective
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In 2021, the now 38-year-old became the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator for Mike Zimmer’s final year as head coach.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Michigan had 17 offensive boards and outrebounded Ohio State 44-31.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Please tell me what to do or say that will get the job done without unnecessarily embarrassing or offending this person.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
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Police said that through witness statements and security footage from the area, officers were able to identify the offending vehicle and searched the area.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The bravura production and costume design are respectively by Suzie Davies and Jacqueline Durran, both correctly tipping the outrageous into the tacky.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Laxness was the heir not only to the language and setting of the sagas but to their humanity, their outrageous understatement and charm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Her mother divorced her abusive father when Kaley was 3 years old and raised three children mainly as a single mom, Lanier said during jury selection.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Her mother divorced her abusive father when Kaley was 3 years old and raised three children mainly as a single mom, Lanier said during jury selection.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Defense attorney Kevin Rousseau suggested in witness questioning that Bell-Johnson, who is known as One Leg and uses a prosthetic limb, sought comfort in gang membership in part because of taunting connected to his disability.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated February 9,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Feb. 2026
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Another child care center director recounted how vehicles full of taunting men have driven by more than once.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But, in private, Koren could be aggressive and vituperative—a competitive colleague who sought to destroy the reputations and careers of those who crossed him.—
Ben Taub,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Bal and Chi-Fou-Mi Productions, while almost certainly proceeding without Israeli institutional support, given the vituperative reactions his recent films have provoked — and, by his own admission, have been designed to provoke.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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After a year of Trump disrespecting European allies, many had wondered how much of the old transatlantic ties remained.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Deerfield Beach is cutting ties with the Broward Sheriff’s Office after a 35-year relationship that deteriorated over the last 12 months, with each side accusing the other of disrespecting leadership and putting politics and personalities ahead of policing needs.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In the Hulu version of the story, Clarke plays Alex, a middle-aged lawyer stealing money from his clients and funneling it into an opioid addiction and, the series implies, other scurrilous crimes.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
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The justices who renounced that lie in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Center exposed themselves to scurrilous criticisms and even threats to their safety.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insulting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insulting. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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