offensive language

collocation in English

meaningsofoffensiveandlanguage

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withlanguage.
offensive
adjective
uk
/əˈfen.sɪv/us
/əˈfen.sɪv/us
/ˈɑːˌfen.sɪv/
causing ...
See more atoffensive
language
noun
uk
/ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪdʒ/us
/ˈlæŋ.ɡwɪdʒ/
a system of communication consisting of sounds, words, ...
See more atlanguage

(Definition ofoffensiveandlanguagefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofoffensive language

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Whenoffensivelanguageis used in a place like this, it gives licence to such behaviour.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Weak cases are not infrequently supported byoffensivelanguage.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It would be described in highlyoffensivelanguage, and that that is being done today is a matter of very considerable constitutional importance.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It was pleasing to know that he took some objection to the use ofoffensivelanguage.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
She would probably use incoherent oroffensivelanguage, if she responded at all.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I reject such absurd andoffensivelanguageout of hand.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There are occasions when the mostoffensivelanguageis used, and no possible redress can be obtained.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I do not wish to useoffensivelanguage.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They useoffensivelanguagewhich is calculated to lead to a breach of the peace.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is intolerable that we should be spoken to in theoffensivelanguagethat was used on that occasion and yet go on as though nothing very serious had happened.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
If that person stopped when others started the originator and perpetrator of this offence—the mindless baying and braying ofoffensivelanguageor animal sounds—might well get away with it.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These include the use ofoffensivelanguage.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Does he suggest that the friend would collect some little children around him and jeer at the religion of their parents, in scurrilous andoffensivelanguage?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Though language difficulties are common, avoiding barriers like jargon, bypassing, andoffensivelanguage, will greatly reduce your chances of being misunderstood.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Extremelyoffensivelanguageis used during the broadcast and blasphemous views are often expressed.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Later court decisions added more situations where restrictions were possible, including student speech about drugs, vulgar andoffensivelanguage, and school-operated newspapers.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
When he submitted another petition in moreoffensivelanguageto the king three years later, his renewed complaints involved him in a government prosecution.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
His abrasive andoffensivelanguageis juxtaposed with these attempts at humility create this unreliable nature.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The book has frequently appeared on banned book lists foroffensivelanguage, and violence.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
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