give/cause offense

idiom

: to cause a person or group to feel hurt, angry, or upset by something said or done
She didn't mean to give/cause offense.

Examples of give/cause offense in a Sentence

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The couple had already told their parents of the plan so as not to cause offense, but the rest of the crowd was caught completely off guard. — Terry Baddoo, USA TODAY, 17 June 2024 These days, Jerry Seinfeld wonders if his show would ever have gotten through all the committees set up to make sure comedy will not cause offense (see, for instance, his interview with The New Yorker). — Mark Gimein, theweek, 14 May 2024

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give/cause offense

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“Give/cause offense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/give%2Fcause%20offense. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.

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