effrontery
noun
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To the Romans, the shameless were "without forehead," at least figuratively. Effrontery derives from Latin effrons, a word that combines the prefix ex- (meaning "out" or "without") and frons (meaning "forehead" or "brow"). The Romans never used effrons literally to mean "without forehead," and theorists aren't in full agreement about the connection between the modern meaning of effrontery and the literal senses of its roots. Some explain that frons can also refer to the capacity for blushing, so a person without frons would be "unblushing" or "shameless." Others theorize that since the Romans believed that the brow was the seat of a person's modesty, being without a brow meant being "immodest" or, again, "shameless."
Synonyms
- audaciousness
- audacity
- brashness
- brass
- brassiness
- brazenness
- cheek
- cheekiness
- chutzpah
- chutzpa
- hutzpah
- hutzpa
- crust
- face
- gall
- nerve
- nerviness
- pertness
- presumption
- presumptuousness
- sauce
- sauciness
- temerity
Example Sentences
Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 In an act of intellectual effrontery that recalls Karl Marx, Wengrow and Graeber use this insight to overthrow all existing dogma about humankind—to reimagine, in short, everything. Virginia Heffernan, Wired, 11 July 2022 Thompson, skilled at both effrontery and anxiety, mines that tension brilliantly. Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2022 What Negro actor at this stage in the world’s history could dare bring to the role the effrontery Olivier does? Armond White, National Review, 20 Oct. 2021 Bergman, who romanced his leading ladies and strip mined his personal demons for material, was hardly the least self-involved of European auteurs, and Hansen-Løve has fittingly responded with her own teasing display of meta-effrontery. Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2021 His crowded, unmasked political rallies were reckless acts of effrontery. Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2020 The book reaches a pitch of patronizing superiority in the sections about Mr. Akhtar’s father, an award-winning cardiologist who briefly treated Donald Trump and then had the effrontery to vote for his former patient in the 2016 election. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020 The first major payoff, like subsequent depredations, was both complex—involving a thicket of shell corporations and offshore money-laundering entrepôts—and crude, in view of the fraud’s effrontery. Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 27 Apr. 2020 See More Word History
French effronterie, ultimately from Medieval Latin effront-, effrons shameless, from Latin ex- + front-, frons forehead
1697, in the meaning defined above
effrontery
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- gall
- nerve
- arrogance
- audacity
- temerity
- chutzpah
- audaciousness
- brazenness
- presumptuousness
- brashness
- confidence
- presumption
- cheekiness
- face
- chutzpa
- pertness
- sauciness
- hutzpah
- assurance
- brass
- crust
- cheek
- impudence
- brassiness
- sauce
- insolence
- hardihood
- hutzpa
- impertinence
- disrespect
- rudeness
- inconsiderateness
- inconsideration
- nerviness
- cockiness
- impoliteness
- sanguinity
- overconfidence
- incivility
- ungraciousness
- self-assurance
- sass
- back talk
- swagger
- self-confidence
- discourteousness
- swash
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- timidity
- diffidence
- bashfulness
- modesty
- hesitancy
- timorousness
- shyness
- manners
- faintheartedness
- courtesy
- timidness
- civility
- gentility
- graciousness
- courteousness
- mannerliness
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of effrontery are audacity, cheek, chutzpah, gall, hardihood, nerve, and temerity. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.
Although the words audacity and effrontery have much in common, audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.
The words hardihood and effrontery can be used in similar contexts, but hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.
Nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.
The words temerity and effrontery are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.