insolences
Acts of contempt
Insolences are acts of disrespectful boldness or contemptuous rudeness.
The word captures specific instances of insolent behavior rather than the general quality: She catalogued his insolences—the eye rolls, the dismissive sighs, the barely concealed smirks.
The plural emphasizes repeated offenses that accumulate into a pattern of disrespect.
Disrespectful social behavior
- disrespectLack of regard
- impertinenceRude disregard for propriety
- impudenceShameless boldness toward superiors
- audacityBrazen, reckless daring
cheek · effrontery · brazenness · contempt · defiance · arrogance · nerve · gall
Disparaging remarks
- affrontsDeliberate public insults
- slightsMinor deliberate offenses
- snubsIntentional social rejections
- indignitiesHumiliating or degrading treatments
offenses · provocations · outrages · humiliations · transgressions · taunts · jibes · barbs
Disrespectful or presumptuous acts
- libertiesProtected individual rights
- presumptionsBeliefs accepted without evidence
- improprietiesViolations of accepted conduct
- familiaritiesClose, informal knowledge
trespasses · overstepping · uppitiness · breaches · violations · encroachments · social climbing · pretensions
rudeness
Disrespectful social behavior
- disrespectLack of regard
- impertinenceRude disregard for propriety
- impudenceShameless boldness toward superiors
audacity · cheek · effrontery · brazenness · contempt · defiance · arrogance · nerve · gall · sassiness
insults
Disparaging remarks
indignities · offenses · provocations · outrages · humiliations · transgressions · taunts · jibes · barbs · put-downs
impertinences
Disrespectful or presumptuous acts
- libertiesProtected individual rights
- presumptionsBeliefs accepted without evidence
- improprietiesViolations of accepted conduct
familiarities · trespasses · overstepping · uppitiness · breaches · violations · encroachments · social climbing · pretensions · haughtiness
insolencescourtesies
Polite social behaviors
respects · civilities · politeness · pleasantries · compliments
insolencesdeferences
Respectful yieldings to others
respects · courtesies · reverences · obeisances · civilities
insolencesproprieties
Accepted standards of behavior
decencies · decorums · politenesses · courtesies · civilities
- dumb insolenceDefiance expressed nonverbally