as in insolent
displaying or marked by rude boldness
the guest's impudent inquiries about the cost of just about everything we had in the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impudent
His first goal was pretty enough, an inch-perfect sidefoot just inside Donnarumma’s far post, but his second was a work of impudent art.
—
Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Gemma reluctantly agrees to rebuild her impudent robot in a new body, and the sequel ends with an explosive showdown between Amelia and M3GAN, who nearly dies in a noble attempt to save Gemma and her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 June 2025
Fortunately, Snow White’s newfound enlightenment does not deny her the possibility of romance, although princes are now strictly off-limits; her love interest here is a fetchingly impudent bandit, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who is leading a scrappy rebellion against the Evil Queen.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
One chord appears to speak to the other, sounding almost impudent in their simplicity, equal parts ecstatic and heartbreakingly melancholic.
—Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2025
More specifically, the impudent Skull Kid steals the Ocarina of Time and turns Link into a Deku Scrub, those antagonistic tree cannons first introduced in Ocarina.
—Ashley Bardhan, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
Lisa is often out of the house and in motion: roaming the aisles of a pharmacy that’s open late and where no one seems to be working; on a bus contending with impudent youths; breaking the rules at a sleep clinic; wasted and lost after a bachelorette party.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023
In short, Moscow sees Montenegro as both strategically valuable and an impudent upstart that has thumbed its nose at the Russian bear while genuflecting before NATO and Washington.
—Edward P. Joseph, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2016
Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Gemma reluctantly agrees to rebuild her impudent robot in a new body, and the sequel ends with an explosive showdown between Amelia and M3GAN, who nearly dies in a noble attempt to save Gemma and her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 29 June 2025
Fortunately, Snow White’s newfound enlightenment does not deny her the possibility of romance, although princes are now strictly off-limits; her love interest here is a fetchingly impudent bandit, Jonathan (Andrew Burnap), who is leading a scrappy rebellion against the Evil Queen.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
One chord appears to speak to the other, sounding almost impudent in their simplicity, equal parts ecstatic and heartbreakingly melancholic.
—Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2025
More specifically, the impudent Skull Kid steals the Ocarina of Time and turns Link into a Deku Scrub, those antagonistic tree cannons first introduced in Ocarina.
—Ashley Bardhan, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
Lisa is often out of the house and in motion: roaming the aisles of a pharmacy that’s open late and where no one seems to be working; on a bus contending with impudent youths; breaking the rules at a sleep clinic; wasted and lost after a bachelorette party.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023
In short, Moscow sees Montenegro as both strategically valuable and an impudent upstart that has thumbed its nose at the Russian bear while genuflecting before NATO and Washington.
—Edward P. Joseph, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impudent
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, the insolent and hyper-confident Ruben (Stuart Campbell as a teen and Gadd as a grown-up) has been in trouble with the law from a tender age.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Malinin’s confidence would be insolent if his acrobatics weren’t so astonishing.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Policymakers, especially here in Tokyo, would be wise to accept more foreign workers to plug labor gaps, but that’s not a durable answer on its own.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Steinberg believes the fit will work out well football wise and business wise.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This is a brazen violation of international law.—
Lincoln Anderson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
-
In a brazen attempt in December, a briefcase filled with pigeons stuffed in socks was intercepted at Latvia's border with Russia.—
Sharyn Alfonsi,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The six draft picks are listed in bold.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The bold, eye-catching top boasts a longline design, much like the exercise styles of the early 2000s, and the colorblock finish is the icing on the cake.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
From cheeky shots of celebrities like Jane Fonda and Arnold Schwarzenegger to extravagant, sensual portfolios of America’s Olympic squads, the magazine’s pantheon of photographers have helped to define the genre of sports portraiture.—
Jonathan Pace,
Vanity Fair,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Then get ready to make new friends over a cheeky drink with conversations that will last long after the sun goes down.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some Percy Jackson fans are acting quite impertinent.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Apr. 2026
-
That your answer is not believed by these nosy, impertinent people is insulting.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
As the Moon moves through your 11th House of Friends, collaboration brings fresh direction.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Kansas City Chiefs, fresh off their first January at home in 11 years, were intent on rebuilding their defense.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a lot of, kind of hockey player archetypes — the flashy, cocky European superstar, that’s definitely a type.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The town’s overflowing with charming Midwest eccentrics, including a cocky mayor (Henry Winkler) and a welcoming barkeep (Lena Headey).—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impudent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impudent. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
