insult

insult — verb

1. to intentionally say rude words to someone or treat them in a way that shows you

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to intentionally say rude words to someone or treat them in a way that shows you have no respect for them, with the goal of making them feel hurt or angry

Example

Min insulted his teammate after the game and later felt bad about it.

The coach felt insulted when a player questioned her knowledge of the sport.

passive: feel insulted when / by

Common collocations
  • deliberately insult
  • feel insulted
  • insult someone publicly
  • insult someone by
Synonyms
  • offend

    broader — can be unintentional; insult implies deliberate rudeness

  • disrespect

    focuses on showing a lack of proper regard, often through behaviour rather than words

  • mock

    involves making fun of someone, often by imitating or teasing them

Antonyms
  • praise

    to express warm approval or admiration of someone

  • compliment

    to say something nice about someone in a sincere way

Grammar Patterns

insult + noun phrase (person)

be/feel insulted + by + noun phrase

insult + noun phrase + by + gerund

Usage Note

The direct object is usually a specific person or group. To describe the action that causes offence, use 'insult + person + by + gerund'. Frequently used in the passive with 'feel' or 'be'.

Common Mistakes

He insulted me with not saying hello.
He insulted me by not saying hello.
Use 'by + gerund', not 'with', to show the action that caused the insult.
She insulted to him during the meeting.
She insulted him during the meeting.
'Insult' is transitive and takes a direct object, not a preposition.

insult — noun

Word family

  • insulting
    adjectiveB1
  • insulted
    adjectiveB1
  • insultingly
    adverbB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs relate to causing hurt or anger, but they differ in intent and formality. 'Insult' implies a deliberate, face-to-face rude remark or action aimed at hurting someone's feelings. 'Offend' is broader — the hurt may be unintentional, and the focus is on the other person's reaction rather than the speaker's intention. 'Disrespect' centres on failing to show proper honour or regard, often through actions (e.g., ignoring someone's customs). 'Affront' is the most formal and dramatic — it suggests a public, deliberate attack on someone's dignity. For example: 'He insulted her by calling her stupid.' — 'She was offended by the casual sexist jokes.' — 'The ambassador felt the remarks were an affront to his nation.'

insult ↗offend ↗disrespect ↗affront

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'insult' comes from the Latin verb 'insultare', meaning 'to leap upon' — a combination of 'in-' ('upon, against') and 'saltare' ('to leap'). In ancient Rome, the word originally described the physical act of jumping on a defeated enemy on the battlefield. Over time, the meaning shifted from physical attack to verbal attack, and by the 1500s it had taken on its modern sense of speaking or acting with contempt toward someone. The older physical meaning survives in medical usage, where 'insult' still refers to injury or damage to a body part, such as a 'chemical insult to the lungs'.