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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

flippant

Adjective

IPA /ˈflɪpənt/

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Meaning in plain English

Treating an important or serious subject too lightly, often by making casual remarks that suggest you do not care.

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Pronunciation

flippant/ˈflɪpənt/

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  1. The team discusses a crucial deadline

  2. Someone treats the concern as unimportant

  3. The casual response annoys colleagues

A flippant response shows too little seriousness about an important matter.

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  1. His flippant response made our difficult conversation even more uncomfortable.
  2. A flippant comment about the deadline annoyed the project manager.

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His ________ response made our difficult conversation even more uncomfortable.
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flippant — Treating an important or serious subject too lightly, often by making casual remarks that suggest you do not care.

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Treating an important or serious subject too lightly, often by making casual remarks that suggest you do not care.

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Word origin

Formed from flip and -ant; earlier senses included nimble and talkative.

Did you know?

Flippant can describe an answer, an attitude or the way someone sounds.

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flippant

/ˈflɪpənt/ (Adjective)

“Flippant is disapproving. You can be flippant about a serious matter without making an actual joke.”

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