Add insult to injury

Meaning

Make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something hurtful on top of the original problem.

Usage

Used to call out someone who exacerbates misfortune with thoughtless comments.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Biblical and classical rhetoric often employed layered injustices to illustrate cruelty.

The phrase shows up in 19th-century literature to dramatize compounded harm.