# offend

> English word · Verb · IPA /əˈfɛnd/ · frequency rank #13,571

## Definitions
1. To hurt the feelings of; to displease; to make angry; to insult.
2. To feel or become offended; to take insult.
3. To physically harm, pain.
4. To annoy, cause discomfort or resent.
5. To sin, transgress divine law or moral rules.
6. To transgress or violate a law or moral requirement.
7. To cause to stumble; to cause to sin or to fall.

## Etymology
From Middle French offendre, from Latin offendō (“strike, blunder, commit an offense”), from ob- (“against”) + *fendō (“strike”).

## Easily confused with
- **often** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-often)
- **offer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offer)
- **offers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offers)
- **offing** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offing)
- **offered** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offered)
- **offense** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offense)
- **offhand** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offhand)
- **offended** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offended)
- **offender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offender)

## Common misspellings (7)
`fofend`, `ofefnd`, `ofend`, `offedn`, `offendd`, `offennd`, `offned`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/offend