ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsIinsolent
ISEE/SSAThard
insolent
Meaning: showing a rude and disrespectful lack of regard for authority
insolent in a sentence
How insolent is used in real sentences:
The substitute teacher was shocked by the insolent remarks from the back row.
The young knight replied insolently to the king, and the entire court fell silent in disbelief at his boldness.
“Should that defendant make an insolent remark to the judge, the interpreter must preserve its disrespect without intensifying it.”
— from the passage Between Speech and Judgment
“The next afternoon, an insolent note appeared on his stand: “Try conducting the orchestra you have, not the one in your imagination.” Varen's first impulse was to identify the writer, but such an inquiry would make his position seem both defensive and gauche.”
— from the passage The Unfinished Finale
“An insolent resident who mocked a clerk's authority no longer gained attention merely by becoming louder, and a servile applicant no longer advanced by flattering staff.”
— from the passage Waiting by Design
Synonyms for insolent
Other words for insolent — disrespectful, impertinent and rude — carry the same meaning.
- disrespectful
- impertinent
- rude
Antonyms of insolent
Words that mean the opposite of insolent:
- respectful
- polite
- courteous
Where it comes from
From Latin insolens 'unaccustomed, arrogant'
Word parts
- in/im/ir — not, opposite
insolent: in- (not) + sol (accustomed)
Memory hook
INSOLENT sounds like 'in-so-lent' — rudely refusing to lend anyone respect.