effrontery

American  

[ih-fruhn-tuh-ree] / ɪˈfrʌn tə ri /

noun

plural

effronteries

1. shameless or impudent boldness; barefaced audacity.

   She had the effrontery to ask for two free samples.

   Synonyms:

   cheek, impudence, impertinence

2. an act or instance of this.

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effrontery British  

/ ɪˈfrʌntərɪ /

noun

1. shameless or insolent boldness; impudent presumption; audacity; temerity

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Etymology

Origin of effrontery

1705–15; < French effronterie, equivalent to Old French esfront shameless ( es- ex- ¹ + front brow; front ) + -erie -ery

Example Sentences

One provision stands out for its sheer effrontery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Walters, who died Friday at 93, was America’s Grand Inquisitor, a groundbreaking journalist who was unafraid to probe the unapproachable with people unaccustomed to such effrontery.

From Slate • Dec. 31, 2022

He seemed to have a desire to shock and had been described as an astounding combination of insight, intuition and effrontery.

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2022

My first resort is claiming I’m the victim of witch-huntery — And blithely wave away substantive facts with sheer effrontery.

From Washington Post • Jul. 7, 2021

“Louis saw it done repeatedly, and at first was amazed at Burnham’s effrontery, only to be more amazingly amazed at the drooling of the recipient. The method was crude but it worked.”

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson