noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

offense

uh-FEHNS

Offense (noun) means a wrongdoing, crime, or breach of a rule. Example: “Speeding is a minor traffic offense in most states.”

noun

A wrongdoing, crime, or breach of a rule.

"Speeding is a minor traffic offense in most states."

"He was arrested for a second offense within a year."

A feeling of hurt or anger caused by something insulting or disrespectful.

"She took offense at the joke about her accent."

"No offense was meant by the comment."

In sports, the team or players trying to score, as opposed to defense.

"The offense struggled to move the ball in the second half."

How to use offense

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a rule-breaking act, the hurt feeling from an insult, or (in sports) the scoring team.

UK vs US

American English spells it "offense"; British English usually prefers "offence".

Common pairings

take offense no offense a criminal offense go on the offense

Word forms

offenses plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “offense” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Speeding is a minor traffic _____ in most states.

Etymology

From Old French offense, from Latin offensa, "a striking against" — from the same root as offend.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

View more →

violation transgression misdeed wrongdoing breach misdemeanor affront barb burn dis diss insult

Related words

river crime opening violence abuse burn burning sin

Rhymes for offense

tense sense dense incense immense intense license expense defense nonsense condense dispense

See all rhymes for offense →

Frequently asked questions

What does “offense” mean?

The word “offense” means a wrongdoing, crime, or breach of a rule. In plain terms, either a rule-breaking act, the hurt feeling from an insult, or (in sports) the scoring team.

How do you pronounce “offense”?

“Offense” is pronounced uh-FEHNS (/əˈfɛns/ in IPA).

How do you use “offense” in a sentence?

Here is “offense” used in a sentence: “Speeding is a minor traffic offense in most states.”

What is another word for “offense”?

Words with a similar meaning to “offense” include affront, barb, burn, dis, diss and insult.

What part of speech is “offense”?

“Offense” is a noun.

Where does the word “offense” come from?

The word “offense” comes from Latin. From Old French offense, from Latin offensa, "a striking against" — from the same root as offend.

Is “offense” a common word?

“Offense” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “offense” have?

“Offense” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a wrongdoing, crime, or breach of a rule.

What is the difference between "offense" and "offence"?

They are the same word spelled differently: "offense" is standard in American English, while "offence" is the British and Commonwealth spelling. Both mean a wrongdoing or a feeling of hurt caused by something insulting.

What is the difference between "offense" and "crime"?

A "crime" is specifically an act punishable by law, while an "offense" is broader and can mean any breach of a rule, including minor violations that are not criminal. All crimes are offenses, but not every offense is a crime.

What are common collocations with "offense"?

Common collocations include "criminal offense," "minor offense," "first offense," "cause offense," and "take offense." The first three use the wrongdoing sense, while the last two use the sense of hurt feelings.

Featured in

Vocabulary lists that include offense:

Words that start with O

People also searched

river crime opening violence abuse burn burning sin