Word
flippant
Phoneticsflip·pant, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɫɪpənt/
UK/flˈɪpənt/
Definition
adj. not showing enough respect for something serious. You use it when someone jokes about a topic that needs care.
adj. showing a lack of seriousness or respect toward something that deserves careful treatment, often through light or dismissive remarks.
Examples
“Please do not give a flippant answer to a serious question.”
“His flippant comment about the layoffs angered colleagues who expected a sincere apology from management.”
“The committee dismissed his flippant tone during the hearing as evidence that he failed to grasp the gravity of the safety failures under review.”
Examples
simple
“Please do not give a flippant answer to a serious question.”
contextual
“His flippant comment about the layoffs angered colleagues who expected a sincere apology from management.”
complex
“The committee dismissed his flippant tone during the hearing as evidence that he failed to grasp the gravity of the safety failures under review.”
Usage
Typically describes remarks, tone, or attitude rather than a person as a whole.
Real-World Examples
“Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has reprimanded the United States for what he describes as a flippant approach to the ongoing trade dispute between the two countries.” “You could "seem too relaxed and a little bit flippant, like you're not taking it seriously enough, or you are interviewing the employer rather than the other way round".” “He says sarcastic humour works best when trust and playfulness has been established between parties, otherwise a wrongly-placed sarcastic comment can appear flippant or cruel.” Etymology
1595, from Northern English dialectal flippand (“prattling, babbling, glib”), present participle of flip (“to babble”), of North Germanic origin. Cognate with Icelandic fleipa (“to babble, prattle”), Swedish dialectal flepa (“to talk nonsense”). Alteration of -and suffix (a variant of the participial -ing) to -ant probably due to influence from words in -ant.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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