impudent
/ˈɪmpjʊd(ə)nt
/adjective
Not showing due respect for another person; impertinent: he could have strangled this impudent upstart...
- True, it was innovative and his talent unquestionable; but still there was a feeling among many that such a fresh and impudent style may be better employed elsewhere.
- I glared at her, not caring if she thought me rude or impudent.
- Sundarar, on the other hand, is impudent, and addresses the Lord with pert familiarity.
Synonyms
impertinent, insolent, cheeky, audacious, brazen, shameless, immodest, pert;
presumptuous, forward, disrespectful, insubordinate, irreverent, flippant, bumptious, brash, bold, bold as brass;
rude, impolite, ill-mannered, bad-mannered, unmannerly, discourteous, insulting, ill-bred
informal fresh, cocky, brass-necked, saucy, lippy, mouthy, flip
North American informal sassy, nervy
archaic malapert, contumelious
Derivatives
impudently
/ adverb ...- That was before composer Kurt Weill came along and impudently chose to ignore those traditional boundaries.
- You're a terrible actress,’ Tristan folded his arms and grinned impudently at her.
- He looked up, feeling my gaze, and grinned impudently.
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'immodest, indelicate'): from Latin impudent-, from in- 'not' + pudent- 'ashamed, modest' (from pudere 'be ashamed').
In the Middle Ages people who were impudent were lacking in shame or modesty rather than presumptuous or cheeky, for it comes from the Latin pudere ‘to be ashamed’. The modern sense developed in the mid 16th century.