Definition of: affront

(ə·frunt′) v.t.
1. To insult openly; treat with insolence; offend by word or act.
2. To confront in defiance; accost.
3. Archaic To front in position; face toward.
— noun
1. An open insult or indignity.
2. Obs. A meeting. See synonyms under OUTRAGE. [<OF afronter strike on the forehead <LL affrontare strike against <L ad- to + frons forehead]
—af·front′er noun
—af·fron′tive adjective Synonyms (verb): aggravate, annoy, displease, exasperate, insult, irritate, offend, provoke, tease, vex, wound.
Aggravate in the sense of offend is not in approved use. To provoke, literally to call out or challenge, is to begin a contest; one provokes another to violence. To affront is to offer some defiant offense or indignity, as it were to one's face. Compare PIQUE¹. Antonyms: conciliate, content, gratify, honor, please.