offense

UK: /əˈfɛns/

US: /əˈfɛns or, for Sport, ˈɔfɛns, ˈɑfɛns/

US: (ə fens′ or, for 7–9, ô′fens, of′ens)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

of•fense or of•fence /əˈfɛns or, for 9, in Unabridged dictionary ˈɔfɛns, ˈɑfɛns/    n. 

1. a violation or breaking of a social or moral rule;
   sin:
   [countable] an offense against God.
2. a crime or act of breaking the law;
   misdemeanor:
   [countable] a traffic offense.
3. something that offends, displeases, or causes hurt feelings, disrespect, or insult:
   [uncountable] to avoid giving offense.
   [countable] an offense against decency.
4. attack or assault:
   [uncountable] weapons of offense.
   [countable] The best defense is a strong offense.
5. [countable] a person, army, etc., that is attacking.
6. Sport
   • [countable] the team or unit responsible for scoring points in a game.
   • [countable] a pattern or style of scoring attack:
     The coach had designed several new offenses.
   • [uncountable] effectiveness or ability to score points:
     Offense was my weak point.

See -fend-. Synonyms

See crime.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

of•fense  (ə fens′ or, for 7–9, ô′fens, of′ens), n. 

1. a violation or breaking of a social or moral rule;
   transgression;
   sin.
2. a transgression of the law;
   misdemeanor.
3. a cause of transgression or wrong.
4. something that offends or displeases.
5. the act of offending or displeasing.
6. the feeling of resentful displeasure caused:
   to give offense.
7. the act of attacking;
   attack or assault:
   weapons of offense.
8. a person, army, etc., that is attacking.
9. Sport
   • the players or team unit responsible for attacking or scoring in a game.
   • the players possessing or controlling the ball, puck, etc., or the aspects or period of a game when this obtains.
   • a pattern or style of scoring attack:
     single-wing offense; fast-break offense.
   • offensive effectiveness;
     ability to score:
     a total breakdown in offense.
10. [Archaic.] injury, harm, or hurt.

Also, offence. 

• Middle French offense Latin offēnsa, feminine past participle of offendere
• Latin offēnsus collision, knock, equivalent. to offend(ere) (see offend) + -tus suffix of verb, verbal action; in part
• Middle French offens
• 1325–75; Middle English offence, offense; in part

Synonyms

• 1, 2. trespass, felony, fault. See crime. 
• 6. umbrage, resentment, wrath, indignation.
• 7. aggression.
• 8. besiegers, attackers, enemy, foe.

Antonyms

• 6. pleasure.
• 7. defense.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

of•fence  (ə fens′, ô′fens, of′ens), n. 

1. offense.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

offence, offense / əˈfɛns/ noun

1. a violation or breach of a law, custom, rule, etc
2. any public wrong or crime
3. annoyance, displeasure, or resentment
4. give offence, give offence to someone ⇒ to cause annoyance or displeasure to someone
5. a source of annoyance, displeasure, or anger
6. attack; assault
7. injury or harm