unoffended

unoffended — adjective

  • unoffendedpositive
  • more unoffendedcomparative
  • most unoffendedsuperlative

1. not feeling upset, insulted, or hurt by something that could normally cause a pe

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

not feeling upset, insulted, or hurt by something that could normally cause a person to feel that way

Example

Despite the harsh criticism of his cooking, Theo remained completely unoffended.

remain + unoffended for staying calm under criticism

Mei-Lin was unoffended by her colleague's blunt comments about her presentation.

unoffended + by + person/thing specifying source

Common collocations
  • remain unoffended
  • completely unoffended
  • entirely unoffended
  • unoffended by
  • stay unoffended
  • seem unoffended
Synonyms
  • unbothered

    less formal, suggests a relaxed carefree attitude rather than specifically not being offended

  • unfazed

    informal, implies not being disturbed by something surprising or shocking

  • unperturbed

    formal, suggests calmness despite potential provocation

Antonyms
  • offended

    the direct opposite — feeling upset or insulted

  • insulted

    specifically feeling that one's dignity has been attacked

Grammar Patterns

unoffended + by + noun phrase

remain + unoffended

Usage Note

Most common in formal or literary contexts. Frequently modified by adverbs such as 'completely,' 'entirely,' or 'quite,' and typically followed by 'by' when specifying the source of potential offense.

Common Mistakes

I was unoffended by his joke.
I wasn't offended by his joke.
'unoffended' is quite formal; in everyday conversation, 'not offended' or 'wasn't offended' sounds more natural.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words describe a lack of negative emotional reaction, but they differ in scope and register. 'Unbothered' is the most casual of the three and suggests a relaxed, carefree attitude — someone is simply not worried or concerned. 'Unfazed' is also informal and implies that something surprising, unexpected, or potentially shocking did not disturb the person's composure. 'Unperturbed' is formal and carries a sense of deliberate calmness even under provocation. For example, a manager might remain unperturbed (steady and calm) during an angry client meeting, be unfazed (not thrown off) by a sudden schedule change, and feel unbothered (simply not concerned) about a minor complaint. Unlike 'unoffended,' all three can describe reactions to events that have nothing to do with personal insult.

unbothered ↗unfazed ↗unperturbed ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • remain unoffended
  • stay unoffended
  • seem unoffended

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinEnglish

Formed by adding the Old English prefix 'un-' (meaning 'not') to the past participle 'offended', which comes from Latin 'offendere' meaning 'to strike against, to displease'. The word follows a common English pattern of negating past-participle adjectives to describe the absence of a negative emotional state.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined above