flippant

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adjective flip·pant \ˈfli-pÉ™nt\

: lacking proper respect or seriousness

Full Definition of FLIPPANT

1

archaic :  glib, talkative

2

:  lacking proper respect or seriousness

— flip·pant·ly adverb

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Examples of FLIPPANT

1. He made a flippant response to a serious question.
2. <his flippant comment that the poor save on taxes offended many people>
3. As far as he was concerned, we were an unforgivably flippant bunch. Louche. Our shared political stance … struck him as pathetically naive. —Mordecai Richler, GQ, November 1997
4. … although she is neither solemn nor pontifical, she may be the least flippant advice columnist in the business. —Ray Olson, Booklist, 1 May 1991
5. Despite its flippant name, the Greed Index has proven a remarkably prescient barometer of the market during the past 16 years. —Richard E. Rustin, Wall Street Journal, 29 May 1984

Origin of FLIPPANT

probably from ¹flip (see ¹flip)

First Known Use: 1599

Related to FLIPPANT

Synonyms

cute, facetious, flip, pert, smart, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-ass, smart-assed, smarty-pants, wise, wiseass

Antonyms

earnest, sincere

Related Words

flighty, frivolous; cheeky, cocky, fresh, impertinent, impish, impudent, mischievous, playful, roguish, sassy, saucy, waggish; disrespectful, rude; breezy, casual, glib, inappropriate, thoughtless

Near Antonyms

grave, serious, sober, solemn, somber (or sombre)