What does “impertinent” mean?
- 1
adjectiverude and not showing enough respect, especially to someone older or more important
The boy was punished for an impertinent remark to his teacher.
- 2
adjective(formal) not relevant to the matter being discussed
The judge dismissed the question as impertinent to the case.
Impertinent at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- C2 (proficient)
- Pronunciation
- /ɪmˈpɝtənənt/ · im-PUR-tuh-nunt
How to use “impertinent” correctly
The everyday meaning is “rude”; the “not relevant” meaning is the opposite of “pertinent” and appears mostly in legal or very formal writing.
Common phrases with “impertinent”
- an impertinent question
- an impertinent remark
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- rude
- insolent
- cheeky
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- respectful
- polite
Word family
- impertinence
- impertinently
“impertinent” is on these word lists
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