IMPERTINENT Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

impertinent

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpər-tə-nənt

Definition of impertinent

as in impudent

displaying or marked by rude boldness the impertinent child had a smart answer for everything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rude

showing a lack of manners or consideration for others impertinent salesmen who telephone people during the dinner hour

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in irrelevant

not having anything to do with the matter at hand your résumé needlessly lists skills that are impertinent to the job for which you are applying

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 There this brilliant but bewildered scientist gets cornered by a plutocrat with impertinent questions. — Alan Scherstuhl, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2024 There were gleeful pigs decorated with pink flowers and impertinent lions with diamond tails. — Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2021 See All Example Sentences for impertinent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impertinent

Adjective

The movie is an epic series of harrumphs and harangues, propelled from room to room—and, in time, out into the world beyond the estate—by a spirit of impudent absurdism and corrosive cynicism which seems to emanate from Digger himself.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Mantello wasn’t being impudent.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026

Definition of impudent

Adjective

While older generations may interpret limited eye contact, a flat expression or a pause before responding as rude, lazy or unprofessional, that might not be a younger person’s intent at all, Leahy said.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Bel glows with a kind of rude Californian health and goes once a week for chiropractic adjustments, including of her jaw.

— Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of rude

Adjective

The shift may have been good for business, but users often lamented that lack of control, complaining that the recommendation algorithms could send them down rabbit holes of irrelevant or even toxic content.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO predicts that advances in robotics and space exploration could eventually make conventional money irrelevant.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of irrelevant

Adjective

Lovato’s dress, courtesy of Fanci Club, was a deep shade of eggplant purple and topped off with a scarlet-red lace bralette, making for a brazen club-friendly outfit only enhanced by the even more noticeable shoes.

— Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
The photos and trailer released Thursday show Boyle as a brazen, ambitious college student who teams up with Garner’s brainy Ellison to launch their own cryptocurrency business.

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of brazen

Adjective

Finished in the label’s tiger yellow with bold black striping, the bike gave the collaboration a tangible centerpiece beyond the clothes.

— Footwear News, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Pumpkin flowers, ghosts in cat-eye sunglasses, and bold checker-print accent nails all scream fun.

— Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of bold

Browse Nearby Words

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impertinently

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Style

“Impertinent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impertinent. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of impertinent

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