1
as in disrespect
disrespectful or argumentative talk given in response to a command or request
a disciplinarian of the old school, he refused to tolerate any impertinence from his children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disrespectfulness
rude behavior
the impertinence of deliberately ignoring waiting customers while they finished their conversation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in irrelevance
the quality or state of not having anything to do with the matter at hand
the impertinence of that issue renders any discussion of it a waste of our time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impertinence
Advertisement Gradually, though, like water dripping on a stone, Norm wore down their impertinence.
—
Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 21 June 2023
To a raging narcissist a plan is an impertinence, a Lilliputian restraint on the inspired instincts of a giant.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 21 Dec. 2022
Of course the request seemed rude to Jean—in the sense that all work was an impertinence that placed her days in service to another.
—Hannah Gold, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
His suggestion not to reply to the pronoun impertinence makes good sense.
—WSJ, 9 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for impertinence
Kevin Sherrington, Dallas News, 21 June 2023
To a raging narcissist a plan is an impertinence, a Lilliputian restraint on the inspired instincts of a giant.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 21 Dec. 2022
Of course the request seemed rude to Jean—in the sense that all work was an impertinence that placed her days in service to another.
—Hannah Gold, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
His suggestion not to reply to the pronoun impertinence makes good sense.
—WSJ, 9 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for impertinence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impertinence
Noun
-
Recognizing when jokes mask disrespect is not about becoming overly cautious or humorless, but about ensuring that laughter contributes to connection, rather than corrosion.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
Our child's protest isn't a sign of disrespect or defiance.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The surest sign, perhaps, of the business’s increasing irrelevance is its dependence on the kind of social-media star power its gatekeepers still don’t fully understand.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
-
From the rise of the internet to the smartphone boom, companies that failed to adapt faded into irrelevance.—
Jill Standish,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As to the kids’ responses, the more genial Olmo is not above whining, while parental demands usually provoke flat-out insolence from Ana, who breathes cigarette smoke like dragon fire.—
Sheri Linden,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Feb. 2025
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Here Are All The Companies Cutting DEI Programs For old school ‘proper football men’ seeing such insolence on the field is simply unacceptable and when he was asked about the incident on talkSPORT ex-Liverpool striker Dean Saunders didn’t hold back.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
But research shows that confrontation and rudeness are NOT actually what makes these styles of leadership work.—
London Business School,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
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Responding to rudeness with equal aggression often escalates the situation.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But it’s got impudence and élan, and a feeling for life on the margins of English society.—
Dwight Garner,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2025
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Such calls for regulatory actions against short sellers are all based on the assumption that short selling is nefarious — that daring to take a negative view of a company’s stock is tantamount to market manipulation, especially if the short sellers have the impudence to publicize their viewpoint.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Impertinence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impertinence. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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