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Umbrage is a word born in the shadows. Its ultimate source (and that of umbrella) is Latin umbra, meaning “shade, shadow,” and when it was first used in the 15th century it referred to exactly that. But figurative use followed relatively quickly. Shakespeare wrote of Hamlet that "his semblable is his mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more,” and by the 17th century this meaning of “vague suggestion; hint,” had been joined by other uses, including the “feeling of resentment or offense” heard today in such sentences as “many took umbrage at the speaker’s tasteless jokes.” The word’s early literal use is not often encountered, though it does live on in literature: for example, in her 1849 novel, Charlotte Brontë describes how the titular Shirley would relax “at the foot of some tree of friendly umbrage.”
Synonyms
Examples of umbrage in a Sentence
Rory Doherty, Vulture, 24 Jan. 2025
Cormier took umbrage with the account posting an old quote seemingly out of the blue.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
Expand All Members of a private Facebook group representing the area surrounding the far north Fort Worth Heritage neighborhood took umbrage at having one their leaders called a narcissist by a member of the Keller school board.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Jan. 2025
Cronin took umbrage with that technical, earning a second technical and an early exit to the Bruins’ locker room.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 11 Jan. 2025
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Dictionary Entries Near umbrage
Cite this Entry
“Umbrage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/umbrage. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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umbrage
noun
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