Flippancy
Disrespect; a lack of seriousness or a casual, frivolous attitude toward important matters.
nounFlippancy
Disrespect; a lack of seriousness or a casual, frivolous attitude toward important matters.
nounImagine This
A playful breeze swirling colorful autumn leaves, representing a light-hearted, carefree attitude toward serious matters.
Sounds Like
FLIP-ən-see
Looks Like
flippant
Remember This
Flippancy describes a dismissive, irreverent attitude toward serious topics; it often damages credibility and can provoke offense.
Other Forms
Note
Do not confuse flippancy with lightheartedness in appropriate contexts; flippancy implies disrespect or trivialization in serious situations.
Study Deeper
- His flippancy during the meeting annoyed the manager.
- The critic's flippancy toward the topic sparked backlash.
From the adjective flippant, formed with the suffix -ant; flippant itself derives from flip (to move quickly or casually) with the sense of light, irreverent talk. The noun flippancy is the quality or state of being flippant.
Mnemonic: Flip seriousness into play; remember that flippancy is the habit of turning serious matters into a light or disrespectful aside.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Levity
nounHumor or frivolity, especially in situations where seriousness is appropriate; a lightness of mood.
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).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.