backchat
/ˈbaktʃat
/noun [mass noun] British informal
Rude or cheeky remarks made in reply to someone in authority: don’t interrupt! I’m not used to backchat or defiance!...
- He said: ‘It is a shame that among these youths there were several who wanted to give us cheek and backchat to try to look the part in front of their friends.’
- The new Education Secretary has announced a crackdown on classroom backchat and persistent insolence.
- She said: ‘We want a zero tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour in all our schools, on everything from backchat to bullying and violence.’
Synonyms
impudence, impertinence, cheek, cheekiness, effrontery, sauciness, pertness, insolence, rudeness, rude retorts;
answering back, talking back
informal mouth, lip
Scottish informal snash
North American informal sassiness, sass, smart mouth, back talk
rare malapertness, contumely, procacity