Did you know?
Does flippant Have a Positive or Negative Connotation?
Flippant is believed to come from flip, which, in turn, is a supposed imitation of the sound of something flipping. The earliest senses of the adjective are "nimble" and "limber." One can be flippant not only on one's feet but in speech—that is to say, their words flow easily. Such flippancy was considered a good thing at first; however, people who speak freely can sometimes seem too talkative, and even impertinent. The positive sense of flippant has slipped from use, but the "disrespectful" sense still flows.
Examples of flippant in a Sentence
Mordecai Richler, GQ, November 1997
… although she is neither solemn nor pontifical, she may be the least flippant advice columnist in the business.
—Ray Olson, Booklist, 1 May 1991
Despite its flippant name, the Greed Index has proven a remarkably prescient barometer of the market during the past 16 years.
—Richard E. Rustin, Wall Street Journal, 29 May 1984
He made a flippant response to a serious question.
his flippant comment that the poor save on taxes offended many people
Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Feb. 2025
Claiming ignorance or hyper-fixating on a flippant detail from the past gets us nowhere.
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 23 Feb. 2025
The Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni controversy has dominated social media for weeks, reaching its peak last Saturday when Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, appeared at the SNL 50 event and delivered a flippant joke about the situation.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
This isn’t a flippant analogy; during the Indian mutiny of 1857, British soldiers looted the Taj Mahal, removing rare gems and lapis lazuli.
—Ralph Leonard, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flippant
Articles Related to flippant
Cite this Entry
“Flippant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flippant. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flippant
adjective
Share