effrontery

noun

ef·​fron·​tery i-ˈfrən-tə-rē 

e-

plural effronteries

: shameless boldness : insolence

Did you know?

To the Romans, the shameless were "without forehead," at least figuratively. Effrontery derives from Latin effrons, a word that combines the prefix ex- (meaning "out" or "without") and frons (meaning "forehead" or "brow"). The Romans never used effrons literally to mean "without forehead," and theorists aren't in full agreement about the connection between the modern meaning of effrontery and the literal senses of its roots. Some explain that frons can also refer to the capacity for blushing, so a person without frons would be "unblushing" or "shameless." Others theorize that since the Romans believed that the brow was the seat of a person's modesty, being without a brow meant being "immodest" or, again, "shameless."

Synonyms

• audaciousness
• audacity
• brashness
• brass
• brassiness
• brazenness
• cheek
• cheekiness
• chutzpah
• chutzpa
• hutzpah
• hutzpa
• crust
• face
• gall
• nerve
• nerviness
• pertness
• presumption
• presumptuousness
• sauce
• sauciness
• temerity

Choose the Right Synonym for effrontery

temerity, audacity, hardihood, effrontery, nerve, cheek, gall, chutzpah mean conspicuous or flagrant boldness.

temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

the nerve of that guy

has the cheek to call herself a singer

had the gall to demand proof

the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

Examples of effrontery in a Sentence

the little squirt had the effrontery to deny eating any cookies, even with the crumbs still on his lips

Recent Examples on the Web

Ani is one of HQ’s best girls, and Madison plays her with a bawdy effrontery and a disarming grin that seems to widen by a mile under neon lights. —Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024

Wu, notably, is framed as the instigator in the relationship; Cheung has a few priceless reaction shots, as Lam can’t believe—or, ultimately, resist—his student’s seductive effrontery. —Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 23 July 2024

Blocking the medical board from physician regulation is the worst effrontery to medical professionalism, puts the public at unacceptable risk, and might be a place for bad physician actors to be shrouded and protected. —Joel B. Zivot, STAT, 26 Feb. 2024

These companies apparently have the effrontery to resist the attempts to reduce their access to capital being organized, primarily, by a largely unaccountable cabal of activists, financial institutions, and state pension funds. —Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 7 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French effronterie, ultimately from Medieval Latin effront-, effrons shameless, from Latin ex- + front-, frons forehead

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

effrontery

noun

ef·​fron·​tery i-ˈfrənt-ə-rē 

e-

plural effronteries

: shameless display of boldness : nerve sense 3c

had the effrontery to deny any guilt