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Definitions

add insult to injury

VERB
make worse
Synonyms
WEAK
add fuel to the fire aggravate exacerbate heighten provoke rub salt in the wound slap in the face twist the knife worsen

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

To add insult to injury: The company announced the layoffs were due to “low performance.”

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Higher ticket prices only add insult to injury.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Whatever happens in the Super Bowl, either Maye or Darnold is guaranteed to hoist the Lombardi Trophy—and add insult to injury for Gang Green.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

"The delays in bringing perpetrators to court really does add insult to injury," said Andrew Goodacre, chief executive of the British Independent Retailers Association.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2025

They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling