insult

1 of 2

verb

in·​sult in-ˈsəlt How to pronounce insult (audio)
insulted; insulting; insults
Synonyms of insultnext

transitive verb

: to treat with insolence, indignity, or contempt : affront
also : to affect offensively or damagingly
doggerel that insults the reader's intelligence

intransitive verb

archaic : to behave with pride or arrogance : vaunt
insulter noun

insult

2 of 2

noun

in·​sult ˈin-ˌsəlt How to pronounce insult (audio)
1
: a gross indignity : an instance of insolent or contemptuous speech or conduct
2
: injury to the body or one of its parts
also : something that causes or has a potential for causing such injury
pollution and other environmental insults

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for insult

offend, outrage, affront, insult mean to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment.

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

outrage implies offending beyond endurance and calling forth extreme feelings.

outraged by their accusations

affront implies treating with deliberate rudeness or contemptuous indifference to courtesy.

deeply affronted by his callousness

insult suggests deliberately causing humiliation, hurt pride, or shame.

insulted every guest at the party

Examples of insult in a Sentence

Verb She felt they had insulted her by repeatedly ignoring her questions. We were greatly insulted by his rudeness. They're understandably insulted when no one asks for their opinion on a matter that affects them so much. Noun The fans hurled insults at the referee as he walked off the field after the game. Their decision to cancel the project was an insult to all my hard work. They got into a fight over a minor insult.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In one instance, Kaiser says, a dairy checkoff ad that would have insulted nondairy spreads was vetoed. —Tim Forster, Bon Appétit, 16 Apr. 2024 You are not obliged to give a cosmetics tutorial, but Miss Manners does not believe that you have been insulted. —Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for insult 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'insult.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle French or Latin; Middle French insulter, from Latin insultare, literally, to spring upon, from in- + saltare to leap — more at saltation

First Known Use

Verb

1540, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of insult was in 1540

Phrases Containing insult

Dictionary Entries Near insult

insulse

insult

insultability

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Insult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insult. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

insult

1 of 2 verb
in·​sult in-ˈsəlt How to pronounce insult (audio)
: to treat or speak to with disrespect or scorn
insulter noun

insult

2 of 2 noun
in·​sult ˈin-ˌsəlt How to pronounce insult (audio)
: an act or expression showing disrespect or scorn
Etymology

Verb

from early French insulter "to insult," from Latin insultare "to insult, attack," literally "to leap upon," derived from in- "on, upon" and salire "to leap, spring" — related to assault, resilient

Word Origin
The phrase "to jump on" is used informally today to mean "to criticize or insult severely." The origin of the word insult also suggests the idea of jumping. Insult comes from the Latin verb insultare, literally meaning "to leap upon." It is made up of the prefix in-, meaning "on, upon," and a form of the verb salire "to leap." One of the first meanings of insult in English was "to make a military attack." That sense became obsolete, and insult now means to attack or "jump on" someone only with words of scorn or disrespect rather than with weapons.

Medical Definition

insult

noun
in·​sult ˈin-ˌsəlt How to pronounce insult (audio)
1
: injury to the body or one of its parts
repeated acute vascular insults
any insult to the constitution of a patient suffering from active tuberculosis—Journal of the American Medical Association
2
: something that causes or has a potential for causing insult to the body
damage resulting from malnutritional insults
insult verb

More from Merriam-Webster on insult

Nglish: Translation of insult for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of insult for Arabic Speakers

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