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
Her highly English mix of impertinence, acerbic prose and class obsession turned the then-flailing magazine into a success.
—
Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 8 June 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for impertinence
Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 8 June 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for impertinence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impertinence
Noun
-
The Grammys treated the Stones with a similar level of stunning disrespect until awarding them Best Rock Album last year for Hackney Diamonds.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
1 Oct. 2025
-
No disrespect to the academy, but it sort of pales in comparison to this.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
From junior staffers worried about automation to managers fearing irrelevance, no one feels entirely safe.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Every February and September, when the event takes place, critics and showgoers bemoan that the entire affair is strangled by commercialism and limping toward irrelevance.—
Ana Karina Zatarain,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
-
Essentially, they’re used to meeting an expectation where rudeness and thoughtlessness aren’t tolerated—because their older sister made sure of that.—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
18 Sep. 2025
-
If senior figures display rudeness or disrespect, employees may assume that such behavior is acceptable, making selective enforcement seem arbitrary and undermining of trust.—
Andrew Binns,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That said, James Cameron's epic reaches the pinnacle of disaster-movie impudence with the distasteful suggestion that the most celebrated tragedy of the 20th century occurred because a few lookouts were distracted by Kate and Leo sucking face.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Impertinence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impertinence. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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