1
as in wise
displaying or marked by rude boldness
the impertinent child had a smart answer for everything
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rude
showing a lack of manners or consideration for others
impertinent salesmen who telephone people during the dinner hour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in irrelevant
not having anything to do with the matter at hand
your résumé needlessly lists skills that are impertinent to the job for which you are applying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impertinent
Every player was given a number and slips of paper and wrote impertinent questions intended for each of the others.
—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
15 Dec. 2025
For three long weeks that began to seem rude or impertinent, as if the Prize hadn’t been announced, as if a king and queen weren’t waiting for his answer, Dylan said nothing about the award.
—
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Questions about the overheating of the American economy were brushed aside as impertinent.
—
Arancha González Laya,
Foreign Affairs,
12 May 2025
There this brilliant but bewildered scientist gets cornered by a plutocrat with impertinent questions.
—
Alan Scherstuhl,
Scientific American,
15 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for impertinent
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
15 Dec. 2025
For three long weeks that began to seem rude or impertinent, as if the Prize hadn’t been announced, as if a king and queen weren’t waiting for his answer, Dylan said nothing about the award.
—
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Questions about the overheating of the American economy were brushed aside as impertinent.
—
Arancha González Laya,
Foreign Affairs,
12 May 2025
There this brilliant but bewildered scientist gets cornered by a plutocrat with impertinent questions.
—
Alan Scherstuhl,
Scientific American,
15 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for impertinent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impertinent
Adjective
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Set a clear cap before booking so plans stay wise.
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Zacha would not be the only player who would be wise to keep.
Adjective
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It’s widely considered rude and annoying when people cluster by the train doors if there are more people on the platform attempting to get on.
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Many of these terms were meant as insults and were – and remain today – tremendously rude, but others reflect the bewilderment of trying to categorize people who don’t fit into standard categories easily.
Adjective
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To me that’s irrelevant in terms of this storytelling.
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Whether the governmental entity later does anything with the complaint (here, the Board did not) is irrelevant.
Adjective
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Mantello wasn’t being impudent.
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His first goal was pretty enough, an inch-perfect sidefoot just inside Donnarumma’s far post, but his second was a work of impudent art.
Adjective
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For some, public criticism of the nation can feel disloyal or disrespectful.
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The image quickly spread on social media, where some fans criticized the pose as disrespectful while others defended Wembanyama, who is from France.
Adjective
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In the 18th century, lusty also meant insolent, which might have conveyed Anderson’s frustrations with Dina’s unwillingness to accept his authority over her.
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Meanwhile, the insolent and hyper-confident Ruben (Stuart Campbell as a teen and Gadd as a grown-up) has been in trouble with the law from a tender age.
Adjective
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Below are five bold predictions about what the world of artificial intelligence will look like in the year 2030.
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Pheromone perfume has flooded social media feeds with bold claims about boosting attraction, but the science behind these scented sprays is murkier than the marketing suggests.
Adjective
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As President Cyril Ramaphosa deploys soldiers and orders probes into police corruption, widespread allegations of collusion with syndicates deepen residents’ mistrust and hinder investigations into such brazen attacks.
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That is where things get especially brazen.
Cite this Entry
“Impertinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impertinent. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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