Effrontery
Shameless audacity; bold, presumptuous behavior that shows a lack of respect or shame.
nounEffrontery
Shameless audacity; bold, presumptuous behavior that shows a lack of respect or shame.
nounImagine This
Imagine a junior employee interrupts a board meeting to demand a raise, smiling confidently, and arguing they deserve it—this is effrontery, bold and shameless in front of everyone.
Sounds Like
ih-FRON-tuh-ree
Looks Like
Looks like 'front' with -ery; related to showing one's face (frons) openly
Remember This
The word comes from Old French effronterie, ultimately from Latin effrontare meaning to put out one’s face; it carries a strongly negative connotation.
Other Forms
Connect With
audacity, insolence, brazenness, nerve, impertinence
Note
Use with a critical tone to describe behavior that is brazenly disrespectful. Not a simple 'boldness' but a shameless or insolent boldness.
Study Deeper
- It was an act of effrontery for the manager to demand loyalty while ignoring the team's contributions.
- She had the effrontery to challenge the professor in front of the entire class.
From Old French effronterie, from Latin effrontare ‘to put out the face; to show one’s face shamelessly,’ from ex- ‘out’ + frons ‘face.’
Mnemonic: EX-FRONT-ERY — Expose your front (face) to everyone; effrontery is shameless boldness in showing your face.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Insolence
nounBold, disrespectful impudence or attitude toward someone, especially toward authority.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
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nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
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nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling