Vocabulary in context
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Insolence
Bold, disrespectful impudence or attitude toward someone, especially toward authority.
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Imagine This
A student interrupts a lecture with a smug smile and a loud remark, clearly showing no respect for the teacher or the room.
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Sounds Like
in-SUH-luhns
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Looks Like
resembles insolent (adjective); shares the root and the -ence noun suffix
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Remember This
Derived from Latin insolentia, meaning not accustomed or unusual; the sense evolved to mean shameless or brazen impertinence toward authority.
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Other Forms
insolentadjective
insolentlyadverb
insolencynoun
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Connect With
impertinence, audacity, disrespect, cheek, rude behavior
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Note
Insolence describes an attitude or demeanor, not just a single act. It often implies a challenge to authority or social norms and is stronger than mere rudeness.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The student's insolence toward the teacher earned him a detention.
- Despite repeated warnings, the performer's insolence persisted on stage.
Synonyms
disrespectimpudenceimpertinenceaudacitycheek
Antonyms
respectpolitenesscourtesy
Etymology
From Latin insolentia, from insolens 'unaccustomed, unusual' (not + accustomed), from in- 'not' + solΔre 'to be accustomed'. The sense evolved to mean shameless or brazen impertinence.
Mnemonic
INSOLENCE = Impertinence Notably Shows Overbearing Loudness, Egregious No Courtesy, Etiquette Lacking, Essentially Crass Etiquette ignored. Use this acrostic to remember its meaning: I - Impertinence, N - Not respectful, S - Shocking, O - Overbearing, L - Loud, E - Etiquette ignored, N - No courtesy, C - Crass, E - Etiquette disregarded.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
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.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
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