offence

offence — noun

1. An action that breaks the law and can be punished by a court of law.

1.nounB2
Definition

An action that breaks the law and can be punished by a court of law.

Example

Rachid was arrested for a minor drug offence and spent the night in a cell.

collocation: minor offence / serious offence

The new law makes it a criminal offence to use a phone while driving.

pattern: it [be] + a [adjective] offence + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • commit an offence
  • criminal offence
  • minor offence
  • first offence
  • previous offence
Synonyms
  • crime

    the broadest term for any unlawful act punishable by law

  • violation

    a breach of a specific rule or law, often less severe than a crime

  • misdemeanour

    a minor criminal offence, less serious than a felony (used mainly in US law)

Antonyms
  • defence

    the legal argument or action taken to prove innocence

Usage Note

Frequently modified by an adjective describing the type or severity of the act (e.g. criminal, minor, serious, first).

Common Mistakes

He committed a crime offence.
He committed a criminal offence.
'crime' is a noun; the adjective form 'criminal' is needed before 'offence'.

2. Feelings of being hurt, annoyed, or insulted that arise when someone behaves rud

2.nounB2
Definition

Feelings of being hurt, annoyed, or insulted that arise when someone behaves rudely or shows a lack of respect.

Example

Christopher didn't mean to cause offence, but his joke about Emily's accent was poorly chosen.

collocation: cause offence

Élise took offence at the remark and refused to speak to her colleague all day.

collocation: take offence at [something]

Common collocations
  • cause offence
  • take offence at
  • give offence
  • avoid offence
  • deep offence
Synonyms
  • umbrage

    formal synonym; 'take umbrage at' means the same as 'take offence at'

  • resentment

    a longer-lasting feeling of bitterness, not just a reaction to a single remark

Antonyms
  • amusement

    finding something funny rather than insulting

Usage Note

Common in the fixed expressions 'cause offence', 'take offence (at)', and 'give offence'. The subject causing the offence can be a person, remark, action, or joke. Frequently used in negative or cautionary contexts ('without meaning to cause offence').

Common Mistakes

She took offence of his words.
She took offence at his words.
the correct preposition after 'take offence' is 'at', not 'of'.

3. A polite phrase said before or after a remark, signalling that the speaker has n

3.noun
Definition

A polite phrase said before or after a remark, signalling that the speaker has no wish to hurt or annoy the listener.

Example

No offence, Romi, but I think we need a completely fresh approach to this problem.

fixed phrase: 'No offence, [name], but…'

Imran meant no offence about the dish; he was simply surprised by the unfamiliar spices.

Common collocations
  • no offence
  • mean no offence
  • no offence intended
  • no offence meant
  • none taken

Usage Note

The fixed response to 'no offence' is 'none taken', which means the listener is not upset. 'No offence' cannot be used to cancel out a genuinely rude statement — it only works when the speaker truly means no harm.

Common Mistakes

No offence to you, but your idea is terrible.' (sounds like the speaker is using 'no offence' to be rude.)
No offence, but I think there might be a better way to do this.
the statement after 'no offence' should be a constructive opinion, not an insult.

4. In American football and similar ball games, the side that holds possession and

4.noun
Definition

In American football and similar ball games, the side that holds possession and tries to score, or the attacking approach of that side.

Example

Hyun plays wide receiver on offence and has scored six touchdowns so far this season.

preposition: on offence (playing in the offensive unit)

The offence struggled in the first half and could not reach the fifty-yard line.

Common collocations
  • on offence
  • play offence
  • the team's offence
  • offence vs defence
Synonyms
  • attack

    the usual term in British English and in soccer/rugby contexts

  • offensive unit

    a more formal term for the group of attacking players

Antonyms
  • defence

    the team that tries to stop the other side from scoring

Usage Note

Used mainly in American football, ice hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. In British English 'attack' is more common for the same concept in team sports. When used as a countable noun ('two different offences') it refers to different offensive units or strategies.

Idioms

no offence

idiom

A polite phrase used before saying something that might be rude or critical, to show you do not want to upset anyone.

No offence, but your new haircut looks a bit strange.

No offence intended, but I think you made a mistake.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Offence and crime overlap significantly, but crime is the broader term for any act punishable by law, while offence is often used in more formal or legal contexts. A violation is typically a breach of a specific rule or regulation — such as a parking violation — and is less serious than a criminal offence. Wrongdoing is a general moral term for unethical behaviour that may or may not be illegal. For example, theft is both a crime and an offence, but jaywalking is a minor violation, not a serious crime. Lying to a friend is a wrongdoing but not necessarily a legal offence.

crime ↗offence ↗violation ↗wrongdoing

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • on offence
  • without offence

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Offence comes from the Latin word 'offensa', meaning a striking against or a hurt. It entered English through Old French 'offense' in the 1300s, first referring to a hurt or wrong done to someone. By the 1400s it had taken on its legal meaning of a breach of law. The sports meaning emerged in American English in the 1800s as team ball games developed formal attacking and defending roles.