# offense

> English word · Noun · IPA /əˈfɛns/ · frequency rank #4,619

## Definitions
1. The act of offending.
2. The act of offending.
3. The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure.
4. A strategy and tactics employed when in position to score; contrasted with defense.
5. The portion of a team dedicated to scoring when in position to do so; contrasted with defense.

## Etymology
From Middle English offence, from Old French offense, from Latin offensa (“a striking against; displeasure; injury”).

## Easily confused with
- **offers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offense-vs-offers)
- **offensive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offense-vs-offensive)
- **offend** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offend-vs-offense)
- **offended** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offended-vs-offense)
- **offender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/offender-vs-offense)

## Common misspellings (8)
`fofense`, `ofefnse`, `ofense`, `offenes`, `offennse`, `offensse`, `offesne`, `offnese`

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