insolent

adjective

in·so·lent ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lənt How to pronounce insolent (audio)

: insultingly contemptuous in speech or conduct : overbearing

: exhibiting boldness or effrontery : impudent

insolent noun

insolently adverb

Example Sentences

… the tempos were all-out fast and the tone was flat-out insolent. To some, rock-and-roll was as threatening as Communism and desegregation.

Margo Jefferson, New York Times, 26 Oct. 1994 Sweating, cursing the whole Mickey Mouse operation, they paced themselves with their own insolent complaints while the foreman cursed loudest …

Jayne Anne Phillips, Granta, Spring 1991 They could go days without food or water; they could withstand burning heat … ; and if they were horribly cruel to their captives, they could themselves accept torture with insolent defiance.

James A. Michener, Texas, 1985 Insolent behavior will not be tolerated. an appallingly insolent reply to a reasonable request

Recent Examples on the Web Ask my mother, who possesses, tucked away in her basement, the world’s largest collection of photographs of an insolent child pouting, scowling, smirking, staring at the ground, squinting at the sky or watching a squirrel in the corner of the yard.

Jason Gay, WSJ, 5 Aug. 2022 Chaplin had a Hollywood studio of his own, and his mighty, insolent artistry had the intricacy, the precision, and the refinement of a Swiss watch.

Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 July 2022 Malik al-Dweish said his father was taken from a Mecca hotel in 2016 after tweeting a sermon that appeared to insult MBS with an allegory of an insolent child spoiled by his father.

WSJ, 17 May 2021 His worst behavior is being insolent and arrogant with the school counselor.

Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 13 June 2020 But the stage only lights up when Ribler’s Marchbanks is skulking around in his velvet smoking jacket, looking now anguished, now insolent, now ecstatic.

Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2019 As Omari, Kory Pullman turns the nearly impossible trick of conveying a troubled young man as both a stubborn, insolent jackass and a vulnerable, hurting kid.

Dominic P. Papatola, Twin Cities, 5 Oct. 2019 The banking powers are more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy.

Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2019 Writing about Sabatini’s many bad choices and insolent remarks always requires consideration.

Lauren Ritchie, orlandosentinel.com, 21 June 2019 See More

insolent 1 of 2

adjective

as in impudent

displaying or marked by rude boldness an appallingly insolent reply to a reasonable request

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

impudent
brazen
wise
cocky
impertinent
defiant
saucy
cheeky
sassy
bold
blunt
cocksure
brash
brassy
audacious
fresh
assertive
brazen-faced
arch
nervy
cute
disrespectful
bold-faced
brassbound
obtrusive
unblushing
curt
smart
shameless
unabashed
flippant
forward
bluff
mouthy
facetious
pert
flip
lippy
smart-alecky
smart-aleck

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

timid
meek
polite
humble
shy
mousy
courteous
modest
genteel
demure
deferential
proper
respectful
mannerly
retiring
embarrassed
mousey
abashed
gentle
mild
shamefaced
blushing
inconspicuous
unobtrusive
ashamed

insolent

2 of 2

noun

as in imbecile

Synonyms & Similar Words

imbecile
nuisance
brat
idiot
blockhead
pest
moron
dolt
goon
dope
wretch
snob
rascal
airhead
savage
jackass
half-wit
snot
scoundrel
birdbrain
ninny
fool
nincompoop
turkey
snip
lowlife
barbarian
dork
loudmouth
booby
scamp
dink
rogue
nitwit
vulgarian
miscreant
villain
brute
snoot
dweeb
bastard
doofus
boor
roughneck
scab
lout
nit
nerd
blighter
jerk
bugger
dog
rotter
cur
swine
schmo
schmoe
churl
caveman
reptile
creep
cretin
toad
sod
heel
skunk
scum
vermin
scumbag
clown
louse
scuzzball
rat
hound
bounder
nut
cad
beast
slimeball
varmint
sleazebag
dirtbag
snake
chuff
sleazeball
stinker
slime
sleaze
joker
buzzard
schmuck
pill
fink
slob
bleeder
Neanderthal
so-and-so
crud
crumb
rat fink
stinkard

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

gentleman
hero
idol
heroine
lady
angel
saint
role model

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of insolent are arrogant, disdainful, haughty, lordly, overbearing, proud, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

The synonyms arrogant and insolent are sometimes interchangeable, but arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

The words disdainful and insolent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

While the synonyms haughty and insolent are close in meaning, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

While in some cases nearly identical to insolent, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

The meanings of overbearing and insolent largely overlap; however, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

The words proud and insolent can be used in similar contexts, but proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

Although the words supercilious and insolent have much in common, supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

单词	insolent
释义	insolent adjective in·so·lent ˈin(t)-s(ə-)lənt 1 : insultingly contemptuous in speech or conduct : overbearing 2 : exhibiting boldness or effrontery : impudent insolent noun insolently adverb Synonyms arch audacious bold bold-faced brash brassbound brassy brazen brazen-faced cheeky cocksure cocky fresh impertinent impudent nervy sassy saucy wise See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … the tempos were all-out fast and the tone was flat-out insolent. To some, rock-and-roll was as threatening as Communism and desegregation. Margo Jefferson, New York Times, 26 Oct. 1994 Sweating, cursing the whole Mickey Mouse operation, they paced themselves with their own insolent complaints while the foreman cursed loudest … Jayne Anne Phillips, Granta, Spring 1991 They could go days without food or water; they could withstand burning heat … ; and if they were horribly cruel to their captives, they could themselves accept torture with insolent defiance. James A. Michener, Texas, 1985 Insolent behavior will not be tolerated. an appallingly insolent reply to a reasonable request Recent Examples on the Web Ask my mother, who possesses, tucked away in her basement, the world’s largest collection of photographs of an insolent child pouting, scowling, smirking, staring at the ground, squinting at the sky or watching a squirrel in the corner of the yard. Jason Gay, WSJ, 5 Aug. 2022 Chaplin had a Hollywood studio of his own, and his mighty, insolent artistry had the intricacy, the precision, and the refinement of a Swiss watch. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 July 2022 Malik al-Dweish said his father was taken from a Mecca hotel in 2016 after tweeting a sermon that appeared to insult MBS with an allegory of an insolent child spoiled by his father. WSJ, 17 May 2021 His worst behavior is being insolent and arrogant with the school counselor. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 13 June 2020 But the stage only lights up when Ribler’s Marchbanks is skulking around in his velvet smoking jacket, looking now anguished, now insolent, now ecstatic. Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2019 As Omari, Kory Pullman turns the nearly impossible trick of conveying a troubled young man as both a stubborn, insolent jackass and a vulnerable, hurting kid. Dominic P. Papatola, Twin Cities, 5 Oct. 2019 The banking powers are more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2019 Writing about Sabatini’s many bad choices and insolent remarks always requires consideration. Lauren Ritchie, orlandosentinel.com, 21 June 2019 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, from Latin insolent-, insolens unaccustomed, overbearing, from in- + solens, present participle of solēre to be accustomed; perhaps akin to Latin sodalis comrade — more at sib First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition insolent adjective in·so·lent ˈin-sə-lənt : showing lack of respect for rank or authority insolent 1 of 2 adjective as in impudent displaying or marked by rude boldness an appallingly insolent reply to a reasonable request Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance impudent brazen wise cocky impertinent defiant saucy cheeky sassy bold blunt cocksure brash brassy audacious fresh assertive brazen-faced arch nervy cute disrespectful bold-faced brassbound obtrusive unblushing curt smart shameless unabashed flippant forward bluff mouthy facetious pert flip lippy smart-alecky smart-aleck Antonyms & Near Antonyms timid meek polite humble shy mousy courteous modest genteel demure deferential proper respectful mannerly retiring embarrassed mousey abashed gentle mild shamefaced blushing inconspicuous unobtrusive ashamed See More insolent 2 of 2 noun as in imbecile Synonyms & Similar Words imbecile nuisance brat idiot blockhead pest moron dolt goon dope wretch snob rascal airhead savage jackass half-wit snot scoundrel birdbrain ninny fool nincompoop turkey snip lowlife barbarian dork loudmouth booby scamp dink rogue nitwit vulgarian miscreant villain brute snoot dweeb bastard doofus boor roughneck scab lout nit nerd blighter jerk bugger dog rotter cur swine schmo schmoe churl caveman reptile creep cretin toad sod heel skunk scum vermin scumbag clown louse scuzzball rat hound bounder nut cad beast slimeball varmint sleazebag dirtbag snake chuff sleazeball stinker slime sleaze joker buzzard schmuck pill fink slob bleeder Neanderthal so-and-so crud crumb rat fink stinkard Antonyms & Near Antonyms gentleman hero idol heroine lady angel saint role model See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of insolent are arrogant, disdainful, haughty, lordly, overbearing, proud, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness. ignored by an insolent waiter The synonyms arrogant and insolent are sometimes interchangeable, but arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted. a conceited and arrogant executive The words disdainful and insolent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness. disdainful of their social inferiors While the synonyms haughty and insolent are close in meaning, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position. a haughty aristocrat While in some cases nearly identical to insolent, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power. a lordly condescension The meanings of overbearing and insolent largely overlap; however, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence. an overbearing supervisor The words proud and insolent can be used in similar contexts, but proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness. too proud to take charity Although the words supercilious and insolent have much in common, supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness. an aloof and supercilious manner
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insolent

adjective

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

noun

Synonym Chooser