variants
or offence
1
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code
wartime offenses that are crimes against all of humanity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offensive
the act or action of setting upon with force or violence
combat casualties grew enormously as the weapons of offense became far more technologically advanced than defensive armor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in outrage
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
a diplomat never deliberately gives offense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in resentment
the feeling of being offended or resentful after a slight or indignity
my mother was prone to take offense even at the most innocent remark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of offense
Grand jury handed down a four-count federal indictment Earlier this month, a federal grand jury indicted Mangione on four counts — murder through the use of a firearm, a firearms offense and two counts of stalking.
—
Juliana Kim, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
Until then, here are some takeaways from the Royals’ series against the Rockies:
Royals’ offense warming up
The Royals finally snapped an ugly streak of offense Thursday.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2025
After Game 1, Warriors forward Draymond Green praised him for helping settle the offense down whenever the Rockets cut their lead.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Those wins have featured a combination of factors that have resulted in Ottawa’s success this year: structured defending, solid goaltending and timely offense.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offense
Juliana Kim, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
Until then, here are some takeaways from the Royals’ series against the Rockies:
Royals’ offense warming up
The Royals finally snapped an ugly streak of offense Thursday.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2025
After Game 1, Warriors forward Draymond Green praised him for helping settle the offense down whenever the Rockets cut their lead.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Those wins have featured a combination of factors that have resulted in Ottawa’s success this year: structured defending, solid goaltending and timely offense.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for offense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offense
Noun
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To conceal his crimes, Hemphill, who is also a lawyer, threatened to have the women arrested or killed by falsely claiming to have vast resources and connections to police and organized crime, prosecutors said.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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First, crimes like the Holocaust require a series of conditions.—
Robert Williams,
Time,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Israel’s offensive has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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Next, the Bears traded down from No. 41 — the ninth pick in the round — in a deal with the Buffalo Bills that netted them two late-second-round picks (Nos. 56 and 62), which turned into Boston College offensive tackle Ozzy Trapilo and Texas A&M defensive tackle Shemar Turner.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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My colleagues are stumped as to the real reason why, as am I. This has been a hot topic in my field and the outpouring of outrage and kindness has been overwhelming.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
22 Apr. 2025
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My colleagues are stumped as to the real reason why, as am I. This has been a hot topic in my field, and the outpouring of outrage and kindness has been overwhelming.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In Ukraine, memories of Russia’s annexation are fresh and resentments run high, leaving the country’s president few choices on the latest American peace plan.—
Maria Varenikova Brendan Hoffman Luke Broadwater David E. Sanger,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Yet, rather than letting resentment dictate the narrative, there are ways to turn this difficult relationship into a source of professional growth.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Beijing has also softened its regulatory assault on Chinese technology companies and the property sector.—
Jacky Wong,
WSJ,
6 Feb. 2023
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Zelenskyy has warned for weeks that Moscow aims to step up its assault after about two months of virtual stalemate along the front line that stretches across the south and east.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
31 Jan. 2023
Noun
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The imitation Punisher logo on Cole’s bullet was no act of flattery, but the most vile of insults.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2025
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But some Republican registrars took them as an insult, and at least one, Lisa Amatruda of Woodbury, walked out.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to …boffo box office!—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2025
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The focal point of our anger and pain may not even know we are hurt.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In March, two days of U.S. attacks killed more than 50 people, Houthi officials said.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The attack on Ras Isa Fuel Port marked a widening of the U.S. bombing campaign, which had previously targeted Houthi forces and their command centers elsewhere in Yemen.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Offense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offense. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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