1
as in disrespect
disrespectful or argumentative talk given in response to a command or request
amazed that parents would tolerate such insolence from their teenaged children
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disrespectfulness
rude behavior
her frequent displays of insolence have lowered her standing among movie fans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 insolence
And despite Aegon’s insolence, neither Criston nor Aemond could have predicted that the king would show up to the fight drunk on dragonback before Aemond can arrive.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 7 July 2024
Only this time, instead of sneering insolence, Matt Smith’s Daemon was near tears as the king ripped into his brother.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 21 July 2024
Ever since Trump became a politician—and even before that—the most familiar images of him have been designed and disseminated by those who oppose him, to emphasize his insolence or his aura of threat.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 14 July 2024
In the worst-case scenario, the resistance escalated, paranoid readings of each party’s intentions dominated on both sides, and the classroom spiralled into suspicion, insolence, complaint, or outright rebellion.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 11 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for insolence
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 7 July 2024
Only this time, instead of sneering insolence, Matt Smith’s Daemon was near tears as the king ripped into his brother.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 21 July 2024
Ever since Trump became a politician—and even before that—the most familiar images of him have been designed and disseminated by those who oppose him, to emphasize his insolence or his aura of threat.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 14 July 2024
In the worst-case scenario, the resistance escalated, paranoid readings of each party’s intentions dominated on both sides, and the classroom spiralled into suspicion, insolence, complaint, or outright rebellion.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 11 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for insolence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insolence
Noun
-
Maintain safety by allowing your teen to share sensitive information without judgement, punishment, disrespect, or harsh criticism.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
4 Mar. 2025
-
From today’s extended look, director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have delivered something that’s akin to a Top Gun with lots of riveting, cut-the-corner race scenes that outstrip those of James Mangold’s Ford v. Ferrari (no disrespect) and bromance camaraderie.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
Sure, the product is important, but kindness—the opposite of rudeness and apathy—is what keeps them coming back.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Justifying one rudeness by citing another is ruder.—
Judith Martin,
The Mercury News,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The impertinence of the Kodak fiend has become a vast, invisible apparatus of computation that is perpetually grinding data from the grist of our daily affairs, and exploiting such information for all sorts of ends.—
Ben Tarnoff,
The New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2024
-
The impertinence of the Kodak fiend has become a vast, invisible apparatus of computation that is perpetually grinding data from the grist of our daily affairs, and exploiting such information for all sorts of ends.—
Ben Tarnoff,
The New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Insolence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insolence. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share