affront

n

1. insult, slight, slur, dig, barb, Sl. put-down; abuse, contumely, contempt, disdain, scorn; derision, ridicule, mockery; vilification, impugnment, traducement, aspersion, calumniation, calumny, obloquy; maligning, defamation, denigration, slander, libel, Inf. backbiting; impertinence, insolence, flippancy, Inf. cheek, impudence.

2. disrespect, rudeness, ill-treatment; indignity, discourtesy, incivility, dishonor, outrage; shame, disgrace, ignominy; degradation, humiliation, abasement, mortification; wound, blow, injury; offense, attack, assault, aggression; provocation, vexation, irritation, annoyance.

v

3. insult, slight, Sl. put-down, Sl. cut up, give offense to, disoblige; denounce, decry, disparage, discredit, vilipend, depreciate, minimize; disdain, contemn, scout, flout; scorn, deride, jeer, ridicule, scoff, mock, make a fool of, burlesque, guy, lampoon; abuse, wrong, vilify, impugn, traduce, slur, calumniate; malign, defame, denigrate, slander, libel, Inf. backbite; gibbet, drag through the mud; humiliate, belittle, put to shame, shame, chagrin, disgrace, degrade; offend, injure, hurt, hurt the feelings of, harm, ill-treat, smart, wound, damage.

4. irritate, nettle, chafe, gall, Chiefly U.S. rile, disturb; annoy, make [s.o.'s] blood boil, raise [s.o.'s] dander, anger; vex, provoke, aggravate, incense, inflame, exasperate, tease, Inf. rag, distress, fret; pique, Inf. miff, chafe, disgruntle, Inf. put [s.o.] off, give umbrage to, displease.

5. attack, assault, accost, assail, set upon, aggress; violate, transgress, trespass, infringe upon, encroach upon, intrude upon, step on the toes of; bother, trouble, annoy, harass, molest, harry, bully, badger.

6. embarrass, disconcert, abash, mortify, upset; confuse, fluster, ruffle, discountenance, distract, discompose, confound.

7. confront, come face to face with, meet face to face, meet, encounter; oppose, stand opposed to, stand in the way of, thwart, cross, counter, contradict, resist; dispute, challenge, threaten, call into question, oppugn; defy, face in defiance, stand up to.