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Definition of impertinentnext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective impertinent contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of impertinent are intrusive, meddlesome, obtrusive, and officious. While all these words mean "given to thrusting oneself into the affairs of others," impertinent implies exceeding the bounds of propriety in showing interest or curiosity or in offering advice.

resented their impertinent interference

When can intrusive be used instead of impertinent?

The meanings of intrusive and impertinent largely overlap; however, intrusive implies a tactless or otherwise objectionable thrusting into others' affairs.

tried to be helpful without being intrusive

When would meddlesome be a good substitute for impertinent?

In some situations, the words meddlesome and impertinent are roughly equivalent. However, meddlesome stresses an annoying and usually prying interference in others' affairs.

a meddlesome landlord

In what contexts can obtrusive take the place of impertinent?

The synonyms obtrusive and impertinent are sometimes interchangeable, but obtrusive stresses improper or offensive conspicuousness of interfering actions.

expressed an obtrusive concern for his safety

When could officious be used to replace impertinent?

The words officious and impertinent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, officious implies the offering of services or attentions that are unwelcome or annoying.

officious friends made the job harder

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 impertinent For three long weeks that began to seem rude or impertinent, as if the Prize hadn’t been announced, as if a king and queen weren’t waiting for his answer, Dylan said nothing about the award. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025 Questions about the overheating of the American economy were brushed aside as impertinent. Arancha González Laya, Foreign Affairs, 12 May 2025 But people all around us ask impertinent questions all the time. Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2025 There this brilliant but bewildered scientist gets cornered by a plutocrat with impertinent questions. Alan Scherstuhl, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for impertinent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impertinent
Adjective
  • Or similarly, users pointing out that the Ratliff children, when seated three abreast, resemble the three wise monkeys of see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Up in the balcony, even Statler and Waldorf have stopped cracking wise.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • People at work have made rude comments pertaining to my hearing.
    R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Though Jackson acknowledged that those time crunches can be stressful, being rude isn't the way to go.
    Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Sure, pundits and Twitter philosophers love to portray bowl games as irrelevant relics of the past that nobody cares about anymore.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The characters are lying, to themselves and to each other, but the role of the audience in believing or not believing their lies is totally irrelevant.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
Adjective
  • The fox would once have crushed this insolent creature with a swipe of her paw.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
  • Beautiful, not perfect; Alex can be rude, insolent, and subject to wild emotional swings and failures of decorum and logic.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • To think that way would be disrespectful.
    CBS News, CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
  • In some Orthodox cultures outside North America, crossing one’s legs is considered to be very disrespectful.
    Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 3 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Calf & Pony Hair The sleek, tactile surface of pony hair adds a bold edge to any accessory, creating a striking contrast in bags, hats, and footwear.
    Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Simone’s performance is mesmerizing—bold, vulnerable, and transformative.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Iran woke up over the weekend to dramatic scenes of US forces landing in the Venezuelan capital Caracas to capture Tehran’s ally President Nicolas Maduro and move him to the US in a brazen nighttime operation that saw the president and his wife get dragged out of their bedroom.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Whenever the president floated some bizarre policy idea, issued a new threat, or told a brazen lie about the state of the economy, Hassett would be one of the first people on cable news justifying it.
    Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Impertinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impertinent. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on impertinent

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