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a personally offensive act or word; deliberate act or display of disrespect; intentional slight; insult:
an affront to the king.
an offense to one’s dignity or self-respect.
to offend by an open manifestation of disrespect or insolence:
his speech affronted all of us.
to make ashamed or confused; embarr-ss.
archaic. to front; face; look on.
obsolete. to meet or encounter face to face; confront.
contemporary examples

and what is the affront that qualifies treviño as “every jew’s nightmare”?
the upside down attack on josh treviño david frum august 16, 2012

but this affront to honesty is just the latest in a slow drip drip of voter suppression efforts.
as election nears, voter suppression efforts kick into gear john avlon october 30, 2012

the affront so hurt allan that he became a beverly hills recluse, and died in 1999 of liver cancer at the age of 62.
king of the hollywood hedonists robert hofler february 26, 2010

across bengal, those who had once deemed her an affront have voted her in with a thumping majority.
mamata banerjee, india’s political superwoman shoma chaudhury may 17, 2011

historically, conservatives treated the minimum wage as an affront to free labor and a step on a slippery slope towards statism.
to make their victory durable, the gop must fix the minimum wage dmitri mehlhorn november 5, 2014

historical examples

i had a mind to turn round and close the shutters again, but was afraid i might affront your father.’
cedar creek elizabeth hely walshe

they also consider it an affront if one asks them for dog-fish.
the voyage of the vega round asia and europe, volume i and volume ii a.e. nordenskieold

none but accepted and well established gods can venture an affront like that and do it with confidence.
christian science mark twain (samuel clemens)

it is the first time in my life that i have received an affront like this.
dona perfecta b. perez galdos

jean or pierre, if “n-bbled” upon the sconce, would rave about the affront put upon his honour.
original penny readings george manville fenn

noun
a deliberate insult
verb (transitive)
to insult, esp openly
to offend the pride or dignity of
(obsolete) to confront defiantly
v.

early 14c., from old french afronter “to face, confront, to slap in the face” (13c.), from late latin affrontare “to strike against,” from latin ad frontem “to the face,” from frons (genitive frontis) “forehead” (see front (n.)). related: affronted; affronting.
n.

1590s, from affront (v.).