affront 1 of 2

affront

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word affront distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of affront are insult, offend, and outrage. While all these words mean "to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment," affront implies treating with deliberate rudeness or contemptuous indifference to courtesy.

deeply affronted by his callousness

When is it sensible to use insult instead of affront?

While the synonyms insult and affront are close in meaning, insult suggests deliberately causing humiliation, hurt pride, or shame.

insulted every guest at the party

When can offend be used instead of affront?

Although the words offend and affront have much in common, offend need not imply an intentional hurting but it may indicate merely a violation of the victim's sense of what is proper or fitting.

hoped that my remarks had not offended her

In what contexts can outrage take the place of affront?

The synonyms outrage and affront are sometimes interchangeable, but outrage implies offending beyond endurance and calling forth extreme feelings.

outraged by their accusations

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of affront
Noun
That the 2025 Red Sox had someone in their employ who did not know Hall of Famer Jim Rice once labored for the Local Nine remains an affront to history. Bill Speros, Boston Herald, 23 Mar. 2025 Any of us who looked at the bracket and immediately saw, among whatever other bracket-building shenanigans got revealed, a particularly heinous affront to women’s basketball’s growing audience. Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
They felt affronted by companies like Uber that were refusing to abide by even modest regulations. Charles Duhigg, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 She’s known to personally reach out to attendees who have felt affronted by her material. Anna Tingley, Variety, 16 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for affront
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affront
Noun
  • In a workplace that’s increasingly remote, fast-paced, independent and ever-changing, these aren’t insults.
    Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Recent White House comments and insults directed at NATO allies – as well as the military alliance itself – have raised alarm and confusion.
    Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • A lot of the time, the people on the stage or on the show, they’re not even offended.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • That clip became so prominent in part because, the same week, Barrett offended the Trump base.
    Niall Stanage, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The shooting Saturday in Pocatello outraged the boy's family and neighbors as well as viewers online who questioned why the officers opened fire within about 12 seconds of exiting their patrol cars while making no apparent effort to de-escalate the situation or use less lethal weapons.
    CBS News, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2025
  • On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters outraged by Trump's leadership since his return to office for a second term on January 20 took to the streets in all 50 states.
    John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • While slight disparities have been common in the past, the major difference sparked fury among Arab Muslims on social media, sarcasm and confusion for travelers.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Investors did not appreciate his sarcasm either, and the stock is down 2.6% since GTC25 kicked off.
    Karl Freund, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Affront.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affront. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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