What does effrontery mean?
Word: Effrontery
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Effrontery means a shameless lack of respect shown through bold, rude behaviour.
How do you spell effrontery?
Syllables: ef - fron - ter - y
Tricky part: The end is easily misheard. Pupils write ary, or squeeze the word into try, when the last three letters are ery.
Watch out for: effrontary, effrontry
Memory tip: Imagine a cheeky boy in a bakery who demands free cakes. The bakery gives you the last three letters.
Effrontery in a sentence
Example 1: She had the effrontery to correct the guest speaker's grammar in public.
Example 2: The customer's effrontery left the shopkeeper lost for words.
Example 3: Who would have the effrontery to jump the queue in front of the whole school?
Fun Fact
Its Late Latin ancestor combined out with forehead, and it described a person who showed a bold, shameless face.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
effronttery
a) f
b) t
c) n
d) r
Show answer
b) t. A single consonant links the n to what follows.
Mingle-Mangle
Which word do the jumbled letters in the sentence spell?
He had the ffonrreyte to ask for a bigger prize after arriving an hour late.
a) etiquette
b) effrontery
c) efficiency
d) eccentricity
Show answer
b) effrontery. With an f, an r and a t to place, one option fits.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word effrontery as used in the sentence:
The new player's effrontery surprised the senior members of the squad.
a) humility
b) nerve
c) audacity
d) cheek
Show answer
a) humility. A modest, respectful manner is what the seniors expected.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt wrongly. Choose the meaning of that word:
1. diligence 2. arrogance 3. gratitude 4. efrontery
a) too high an opinion of yourself
b) brazen rudeness that shocks people
c) steady, careful effort in your work
d) the feeling of being thankful to someone
Show answer
b) brazen rudeness that shocks people. It needs two f's, just as effort does.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The visitor had the effrontery to sit in the principal's chair. How would staff probably react?
a) grateful for his quiet help
b) sorry for his bad luck
c) shocked that anyone would dare
d) pleased at his good manners
Show answer
c) shocked that anyone would dare
2. Which act would most people say shows effrontery?
a) holding the door open for others
b) returning a lost purse to the owner
c) taking the credit for a friend's hard work
d) waiting calmly for your turn
Show answer
c) taking the credit for a friend's hard work
