Synonyms

back talk

American

[bak tawk] / ˈbæk ˌtɔk /

Or backtalk

noun

rude or disrespectful replies to the requests or directives of an authority figure; sass.

That kind of back talk will get her in trouble at school.

Synonyms:

cheek, impertinence, insolence

verb (used with or without object)

to reply to (someone in authority) in a rude or disrespectful manner.

They back-talk to their parents and have never really had any discipline.
Don't back-talk me, son.

Etymology

Origin of back talk

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United won a hat trick of monthly Premier League awards on Friday to push back talk of a crisis for manager Erik ten Hag.

From Washington Times

Germany's economy, Europe's largest, also saw dramatic falls in May, with the index on the current situation dipping to -9.0 from -2.3 in April, bringing back talk about a recession.

From Reuters

Her father, a Greek immigrant, didn’t tolerate back talk.

From Washington Post

“Traders are bringing back talk of a ‘soft landing,’ which could support risk equities,” Anderson Alves of ActivTrades said in a report.

From Seattle Times

Guess he wasn't used to getting back talk.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023