To feel offended means to feel hurt, insulted, or disrespected by something someone said or did. When you're offended, you believe someone has treated you or something you care about in a way that crosses a line of decency or respect.

You might feel offended if someone makes fun of something important to you, like your family, your appearance, or your beliefs. A student might feel offended if a classmate mocks their artwork that they worked hard on, or if someone tells a mean joke about their culture or background.

The feeling of being offended combines hurt feelings with a sense that someone has been inappropriate or unfair. It's stronger than just disagreement: you can disagree with someone's opinion about the best pizza topping without feeling offended, but you might feel offended if they said something cruel about your taste.

People can also take offense very easily, getting upset over small things that weren't meant to hurt. If you offend someone accidentally, an honest apology usually helps: it shows you understand their feelings and didn't mean to cause hurt.