as in impudent
displaying or marked by rude boldness
an appallingly insolent reply to a reasonable request
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in nuisance
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insolent
Mike Miller, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2025
The officers weren't rude, angry, or insolent — as required of a battery conviction — and used their training and legal authority to do their jobs.
—Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Dec. 2024
Her subversive and dominating personality, and sometimes insolent rhetoric in her active X presence set her apart from the likes of other female AI chatbots, such as Siri whose aim is to assist and serve.
—Fatemeh Fannizadeh, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Bullock’s John Hotham is forced to manage an uprising of rogue military personal and armed insurgents on a semi-fictional January 6, 2025 that makes the real-life January 6, 2021 seem like insolent child’s play.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for insolent
Noun
Parthenope is inscrutable yet expressive, insolent yet heroic, magnetic yet unattainable, loving yet selfish.
—Mike Miller, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2025
The officers weren't rude, angry, or insolent — as required of a battery conviction — and used their training and legal authority to do their jobs.
—Ryan Murphy, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Dec. 2024
Her subversive and dominating personality, and sometimes insolent rhetoric in her active X presence set her apart from the likes of other female AI chatbots, such as Siri whose aim is to assist and serve.
—Fatemeh Fannizadeh, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Bullock’s John Hotham is forced to manage an uprising of rogue military personal and armed insurgents on a semi-fictional January 6, 2025 that makes the real-life January 6, 2021 seem like insolent child’s play.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for insolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insolent
Adjective
-
Gemma reluctantly agrees to rebuild her impudent robot in a new body, and the sequel ends with an explosive showdown between Amelia and M3GAN, who nearly dies in a noble attempt to save Gemma and her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
-
Fortunately, Snow White’s newfound enlightenment does not deny her the possibility of romance, although princes are now strictly off-limits; her love interest here is a fetchingly impudent bandit, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who is leading a scrappy rebellion against the Evil Queen.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Situations like this are certainly a nuisance, but the quickest way to cause animosity with your neighbors is to come between them and their sleep.—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
-
While many consider the mammal a nuisance for raiding garbage cans and damaging property, raccoons can also carry diseases, and they probably shouldn't be kept as housepets.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The initial idea was Woltemade and Yoane Wissa would dovetail minutes wise, with the former Brentford striker expected to start more often in the short term to allow the German a period to acclimatise.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
And speaking of which, Christmas is right around the corner, and we parents are already stretched thin budget-wise.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Evil is insolent and strong; beauty enchanting but rare; goodness very apt to be weak; folly very apt to be defiant; wickedness to carry the day; imbeciles to be in great places, people of sense in small, and mankind generally unhappy.—
Sam Sacks,
WSJ,
18 Nov. 2016
-
Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
The New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2016
Adjective
-
European authorities have accused Russia of brazen violations of the region’s airspace, including with recent incursions by drones over Poland and fighter jets over Estonia.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have posted on their websites that this is Democrats’ fault, a brazen push into politics that breaks with past neutrality.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Oktoberfest specials include items for all times of the day, such as brat and eggs for breakfast; Pretzel Burgers and Pretzel Bites with Bock Beer cheese for lunch or dinner; and Pumpkin Maple Crunch Muffins for dessert.—
Fielding Buck,
Oc Register,
18 Sep. 2025
-
After Wisconsin, is Ohio State the second-best brat-eating school in the conference?—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Liner is Reid Collins, who toes the line between confident and cocky.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Since his days as the cocky but lovable Shane Gray in Camp Rock, Joe Jonas has carved out a multifaceted career.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
With it, Pierpaolo explores the space between fabric and body, where the air between them becomes a third dimension and a vital component of their construction to create bold and unexpected shapes.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Cowboy meatloaf is just like your regular weeknight dish, but with bold, smokey swagger.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insolent. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share