affront

affront vb *offend, outrage, insult

Analogous words: slight, ignore, *neglect: nettle, peeve, provoke, *irritate

Antonyms: gratify (by an attention)

Contrasted words: humor, indulge, pamper: flatter, compliment (see corresponding nouns at COMPLIMENT)

affront n Affront, insult, indignity denote a speech or an action having for its intention or effect the dishonoring of something (as a person, a cause, or an institution).

An affront is a designed and usually an open mark of disrespect

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an affront to the flag

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an old affront will stir the heart through years of rankling pain— Ingelow

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An insult is a personal attack, either by words or actions, meant to humiliate or degrade

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it is incredible the insult made to the liberty, to the life, to the dignity of the human beings, by other human beings— Vanzetti

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An indignity is an outrage upon one’s personal dignity

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whom I beseech to give me ample satisfaction for these deep shames and great indignities— Shak.

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to nearly all men serfdom was . . . a degrading thing, and they found trenchant phrases to describe the indignity of the condition— Southern

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Analogous words: slighting, ignoring, overlooking, neglecting (see NEGLECT vb): offending, outraging (see OFFEND vb): impudence, brazenness (see corresponding adjectives at SHAMELESS)

Antonyms: gratification

Contrasted words: deference, *honor, homage: adulation, *compliment, flattery