backtalk
Mouthy child's specialty
Backtalk is impudent or argumentative response to someone in authority—a child answering back to a parent, a soldier to an officer.
The word implies disrespect through the very act of responding: Don't give me any backtalk.
To backtalk is to respond this way: She backtalked the teacher and got detention.
Impertinent verbal attitude
- insolenceBold, offensive disrespect
- impudenceShameless boldness toward superiors
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
- impertinenceRude disregard for propriety
cheekiness · disrespect · rudeness · mouthiness · attitude · lip · freshness · boldness
Recovery after decline
- rejoinderReply to a reply
- riposteSwift clever reply
- rebuttalFormal response disputing claims
- replyVerbal or written answer
response · answer · counter · repartee · counterargument · counterclaim · refutation · objection
sass
Impertinent verbal attitude
- insolenceBold, offensive disrespect
- impudenceShameless boldness toward superiors
- insubordinationDefying workplace authority
impertinence · cheekiness · disrespect · rudeness · mouthiness · attitude · lip · freshness · boldness · brashness
comeback
Recovery after decline
reply · response · answer · counter · repartee · counterargument · counterclaim · refutation · objection · contradiction
snarky
Mockingly critical in tone
mocking · sassy · irreverent · facetious · snide · snippy · mouthy · smart-alecky · curt · tart
- bratty behaviortantrum, whining, pouting, sulking, sass
- backtalksass, lip, backchat, mouthing off, mouth off
- minor offensesminor offense, white lie, petty offense, fib, jaywalking
- acting outtantrums, tantrum, meltdowns, pouting, whining
- defiancedefiance, disobedience, insubordination, noncompliance, rebellion
- misbehaviormisbehave, misbehavior, mischief, misconduct, naughty
backtalkdeference
Yielding to another's judgment
compliance · respect · yes sir · yes ma'am · submission
backtalkobedience
Compliance with authority
compliance · acceptance · yielding · capitulation · conformity
backtalkacquiescence
Unresisting acceptance
acceptance · agreement · assent · yielding · capitulation