Synonyms for insolent
- adjective
Most common
arrogant disrespectful haughty impolite impertinent impudent
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Arrogant — rude
arrogant, haughty, disrespectful, impolite, presumptuous, contemptuous, domineering, overbearing, disdainful, rude, supercilious, insubordinate, imperious, abusive, cocky, offensive, insulting, uppity, uncivil, hubristic, cavalier, overweening
2. Impudent — insulting in manner or words, particularly in an arrogant or insubordinate manner
impudent, impertinent, audacious, brazen, flippant, bold IE, impious, brazen-faced, brassy, cheeky, outrageous, irreverent, scurrilous, bold-faced, bare-faced, sauce-y, bald-faced, bodacious US, fresh, lippy informal, familiar, snot-nose
Definitions
- adj. 1
Insulting in manner or words, particularly in an arrogant or insubordinate manner.
Near-synonyms: arrogant, bold, cocky; see also Thesaurus:cheeky
- adj. 2
Rude.
Near-synonyms: insubordinate, offensive; see also Thesaurus:arrogant
Related words
- Word family
- insolence
Choose the right word
Insolent, in its primitive sense, simply denoted unusual; and to act insolently was to act in violation of the established rules of social intercourse. He who did this was insolent; and thus the word became one of the most offensive in our language, indicating gross disregard for the feelings of others.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Example sentences
- arrogant I don't need the validation of an arrogant person.
- disrespectful I'm sure that Tom didn't mean to be disrespectful.
- haughty That haughty girl thinks she's better than everyone.
- impolite Tom told me that he thought Mary had been impolite.
- impertinent It was impertinent of you to behave like that.
- impudent The impudent child extended her legs across my lap.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| insolent | steady | |
| arrogant | rising | |
| disrespectful | rising | |
| haughty | rising | |
| impolite | rising | |
| impertinent | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- bold1, rude1
- 5 letters
- fresh1, cocky2, lippy2
- 6 letters
- cheeky2, brazen2, uppity3, brassy2
- 7 letters
- abusive3, haughty2, uncivil3, impious3
- 8 letters
- familiar3, arrogant3, cavalier3, impolite3, flippant2, impudent
- 9 letters
- offensive3, insulting3, audacious3, imperious4, bodacious, hubristic
- 10 letters
- outrageous3, irreverent4, disdainful3, scurrilous3
- 11 letters
- overbearing4, domineering4, impertinent4, overweening
- 12 letters
- presumptuous4, contemptuous4, supercilious5
- 13 letters
- disrespectful4, insubordinate5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (cocky2 = 2 syllables).