Definition

1. Noun:

   • An extremely strong reaction of anger, shock, or indignation: A powerful feeling of moral offense caused by something perceived as vicious, unfair, or cruel.
   • A shockingly cruel, immoral, or violent act: An action that is deeply offensive to moral standards, justice, or decency.
   • A gross violation of law, morality, or a principle: A blatant and offensive infringement.

2. Verb:

   • To cause to feel intense anger, shock, or indignation: To provoke a powerful feeling of moral offense.
   • To violate flagrantly or shockingly: To infringe upon (a law, principle, or standard of decency) in a blatantly offensive way.
   • To rape; to violate sexually: (Archaic or formal) To commit a violent sexual assault against someone.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The court's decision was met with public outrage.
  • The bombing of the hospital was an outrage.
  • Such corruption is an outrage against democracy.

• Verb:

  • The politician's lies outraged the voters.
  • The vandals outraged the sanctity of the temple.
  • (Archaic) The bandits outraged the women of the village.

Advanced Usage

• "an outrage against": Used to specify what principle, law, or feeling is violated.
  • The new policy is an outrage against common sense.
• "to be outraged by/at": Describes the state of feeling intense anger or shock.
  • She was outraged by the unfair treatment.

Variants and Related Words

• Outrageous (adj): Shockingly bad, excessive, or offensive.
  • The prices are outrageous.
• Outrageously (adv): In an outrageous manner.
  • He behaved outrageously.

Synonyms

• Noun: Indignation, fury, wrath, atrocity, scandal, monstrosity.
• Verb: Infuriate, enrage, scandalize, shock, offend, violate, desecrate.

Related Phrases

• Cry of outrage: A strong public expression of anger and shock.
  • The announcement prompted a cry of outrage from the community.
• Sense of outrage: The feeling of being morally offended.
  • A deep sense of outrage swept through the nation.

Idioms

• An outrage to decency: Something so offensive it violates basic standards of acceptable behavior.
  • Their exploitation of workers is an outrage to decency.

Noun

1. the act of scandalizing
2. a disgraceful event
3. a wantonly cruel act
4. a feeling of righteous anger

Verb

1. force (someone) to have sex against their will
   • The woman was raped on her way home at night
2. violate the sacred character of a place or language
   • desecrate a cemetery
   • violate the sanctity of the church
   • profane the name of God
3. strike with disgust or revulsion
   • The scandalous behavior of this married woman shocked her friends