Offence vs. Offense — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
"Offence" and "Offense" have the same meanings, relating to a breach of law or causing upset. The difference lies in spelling: "Offence" is British English, "Offense" is American English.
Difference Between Offence and Offense
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Key Differences
Offence is the spelling used in British English. It refers to an illegal act or a breach of law. Offense is the American English spelling for the same concept.
In sports, offence (British English) refers to the team or players attempting to score, just like offense (American English) refers to the team or players in a scoring position.
When someone feels insulted or upset by an action or remark, it is referred to as taking offence in British English. The same situation in American English is described as taking offense.
Legal terms in British English often use offence, such as "criminal offence" or "traffic offence". In American legal contexts, these terms are spelled as "criminal offense" or "traffic offense".
In the context of causing upset or insult, offence is used in British English ("Your comments caused great offence"), while offense is used in American English ("Your comments caused great offense").
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Comparison Chart
Spelling
Offence
Offense
Usage in Law
Criminal offence, traffic offence
Criminal offense, traffic offense
Usage in Sports
The team on offence
The team on offense
Causing Upset
Took great offence
Took great offense
Common Phrases
No offence intended
No offense intended
Compare with Definitions
Offence
Breach of law
Shoplifting is considered a minor offence.
Offense
Breach of law
Driving under the influence is a serious offense.
Offence
Something offensive
That joke was in bad taste and caused offence.
Offense
Team attempting to score in sports
The team's offense struggled to break through the defense.
Offence
Annoyance or resentment
He took offence at the criticism.
Offense
Annoyance or resentment
He took offense at the criticism.
Offence
Team attempting to score in sports
The team's offence struggled to break through the defense.
Offense
The act of causing anger, resentment, displeasure, or affront.
Offence
Variant of offense.
Offense
The state of being offended.
Offence
Standard spelling of offense
Offense
A violation or infraction of a moral or social code; a transgression or sin.
Offence
See Offense.
Offense
A transgression of law; a crime.
Offence
The action of attacking an enemy
Offense
Something that outrages moral sensibilities
Genocide is an offense to all civilized humans.
Offence
The team that has the ball (or puck) and is trying to score
Offense
(ŏfĕns′) The act of attacking or assaulting.
Offence
A feeling of anger caused by being offended;
He took offence at my question
Offense
The means or tactics used in attempting to score.
Offence
A lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings or others
Offense
The team in possession of the ball or puck, or those players whose primary duty is to attempt to score.
Offence
A crime less serious than a felony
Offense
Scoring ability or potential.
Offence
Causing upset or insult
Her remarks caused deep offence.
Offense
The act of offending.
Offense
A crime or sin.
Offense
An affront, injury, or insult.
Offense
The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure.
Offense
A strategy and tactics employed when in position to score; contrasted with defense.
Offense
The portion of a team dedicated to scoring when in position to do so; contrasted with defense.
Offense
The act of offending in any sense; esp., a crime or a sin, an affront or an injury.
Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.
I have given my opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offense to their memories.
Offense
The state of being offended or displeased; anger; displeasure; as, to cause offense.
He was content to give them just cause of offense, when they had power to make just revenge.
Offense
A cause or occasion of stumbling or of sin.
Woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!
Offense
In any contest, the act or process of attacking as contrasted with the act of defending; the offensive; as, to go on the offense.
Offense
The members of a team who have the primary responsibility to score goals, in contrast to those who have the responsibility to defend, i.e. to prevent the opposing team from scoring goal.
Offense
A lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings or others
Offense
A feeling of anger caused by being offended;
He took offence at my question
Offense
A crime less serious than a felony
Offense
The team that has the ball (or puck) and is trying to score
Offense
The action of attacking an enemy
Offense
Causing upset or insult
Her remarks caused deep offense.
Offense
Something offensive
That joke was in bad taste and caused offense.
Common Curiosities
What is the main difference between offence and offense?
"offence" is British English, "offense" is American English.
Do offence and offense have the same meaning?
Yes, they have the same meanings but different spellings.
In legal terms, is there a difference between offence and offense?
There is no difference in meaning, only in spelling based on regional English usage.
How is offence/offense used in sports?
It refers to the team or players attempting to score.
Can offence be used in American English?
It's not standard; "offense" is the preferred spelling in American English.
What does taking offence mean?
It means feeling insulted or upset by something.
Is offense always related to breaking the law?
Not always; it can also refer to causing upset or insult.
In sports commentary, would British commentators say offence or offense?
British commentators would typically say "offence."
Can offense be used to describe something offensive?
Yes, it can describe something that causes upset or insult.
Can offence and offense be used interchangeably?
They can be used interchangeably based on the variant of English being used.
What does a minor offence/offense mean?
It refers to a less serious breach of the law.
Does offense in American English ever mean feeling upset?
Yes, it can also mean feeling insulted or upset.
Is offence/offense used in formal contexts?
Yes, it's used in both formal and informal contexts.
Is offense considered incorrect in British English?
It's not incorrect but is less common and not the standard spelling.
Are there any exceptions to the usage of offence and offense?
Generally, the usage is consistent with the regional spelling preferences.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
