(pronounced UHM-brihj)

OK, we’re going to try to help you remember this word in a roundabout way. First, think of umber, that dark brown color in your big set of crayons. Once you moved beyond stick figures of Dick & Jane, you probably used that color to add a little shade and shadow to your mini-masterpieces. And although the word umbrage can actually be used to mean shadow and shady branches, the more common contemporary usage is a feeling of offense or resentment at some actual or perceived insult. The example sentence is more telling…

Example: Unbelievably, a program that was supposed to raise morale among remaining employees at the A&D firm’s northern branch did just the opposite. The facilitator of the daylong session often did not know when to be quiet, and during one of his 10-minute spiels, he uttered several opinions at which the employees took umbrage.