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

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

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

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