All words

effrontery

Meaning

Extreme self-confidence or audacity, especially when displayed in a rude or disrespectful manner.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

He walked in like he owned the place, demanding the best table without a reservation. His utter effrontery shocked everyone; it was the height of rudeness, a wild confidence that felt entirely misplaced and disrespectful.

When the shopkeeper pointed out the tiny tear in his rug, the man's utter effrontery was shocking. He just stared, a smirk on his face, as if expecting praise for his bold attempt to pass off damaged goods.

He had the effrontery to ask for a raise when he'd just started last week and hadn't even finished his training module. It was shocking how he just sat there, expecting more, after showing up late every day.

He had the effrontery to ask for seconds after eating the whole pizza himself. Then, he blamed the dog for the missing slice!

Barnaby the badger, with utter effrontery, declared his living room rug was clearly a portal to a dimension of cheese. He then proceeded to lick the shag carpet with such intense self-assurance, we could only stare, speechless at his rude, cheesy delusion.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

He had the effrontery to demand a refund after spilling coffee all over the sweater himself. His loud, demanding tone, as if it were the store's fault, showed a shocking level of audacity.

He had the effrontery to demand a refund on a clearly used, custom-built prosthetic limb, glaring at the bewildered artisan as if *he* were the one inconvenienced. The sheer nerve, after weeks of tinkering and late nights, left the maker speechless.

The sheer effrontery of the deep-sea anglerfish, its bioluminescent lure pulsing invitingly while its jagged teeth remained hidden in the gloom, was a masterclass in predatory deception. It didn't ask for permission; it simply lured and devoured, a chilling display of unapologetic self-assurance in its deadly craft.

With absolute effrontery, Brenda, sporting a banana peel as a hat, demanded the last donut, claiming it was her "birthright." Her sheer nerve, coupled with the fruit-based headwear, left everyone speechless, unsure whether to laugh or call for a dietitian.

Bartholomew, with his mismatched socks and a banana peel perched on his head, had the sheer effrontery to demand a refund for the "lack of sparkle" in his pet rock's personality. He even tried to pay the bewildered clerk with lint and a single, forgotten gummy bear.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

He had the sheer effrontery to demand an immediate refund for a product he’d clearly damaged himself. His booming voice and dismissive stare showed no remorse, only a baffling sense that he was entirely in the right.

The new apprentice, utterly lacking in experience, had the sheer effrontery to suggest her radical redesign of the hydrothermal vents was superior to the chief engineer's decades of work. Her confident pronouncements, dismissive of established safety protocols, shocked everyone present.

He had the sheer effrontery to demand a refund for the obviously eaten, half-cooked alien grub. His voice, a gravelly bellow, reverberated off the crystal stalactites, utterly unfazed by the gasping attendants and the lingering scent of ozone.

With astonishing effrontery, Bartholomew the badger demanded the entire dessert tray, claiming it was his birthright as the fluffiest creature present. His puffed-out chest and unwavering glare made it difficult to argue, despite his previous snack involving the entire condiment aisle.

The pug, with a startling effrontery, demanded a second helping of artisanal cheese, puffing out his minuscule chest as if he were the arbiter of all culinary delights. He stared, unblinking, at the bewildered chef, his snorts of impatience echoing the chef's growing incredulity at this furry, impudent sovereign.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

His effrontery in demanding the promotion after barely six months was astounding. The sheer audacity, the presumption to believe his meager contributions warranted such a leap, left everyone speechless, a stark testament to his immodest self-regard.

The diplomat's effrontery in dismissing the centuries-old treaty as mere "quibbling" was astounding. He spoke with such unblinking conviction, his gaze unwavering as he casually proposed dismantling the entire geopolitical framework. It was a display of raw nerve that left even seasoned negotiators speechless, a bold disregard for established order.

His effrontery in demanding immediate repayment for a loan he had demonstrably neglected to disburse was astonishing. The sheer audacity, the utter lack of remorse, as he badgered the indebted party, spoke of an almost pathological self assurance, utterly devoid of shame.

Despite his ostentatious, tangerine jumpsuit and a penchant for belting opera at inopportune moments, Bartholomew displayed remarkable effrontery. He once asked the Queen for a loan to fund his interpretive dance troupe, his audacious request delivered with a grin that could curdle milk.

The disgraced sommelier, with absolute effrontery, demanded a gratuity for his "impeccable" decanting of fermented yak's milk, despite having mistaken the vessel for his spittoon, all while sporting a cravat fashioned from discarded lint.

Difficulty

Challenging — Rare, high-register words for serious word lovers.

Appears in

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