Basic Details
Word: Indignant
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Angry because you feel that something is unfair or that you have been treated badly.
Synonyms: angry, outraged, resentful, annoyed
Antonyms: pleased, content, calm
How to Spell Indignant
Syllables: in - dig - nant
Tricky part: The g and n sit together (gn), and the ending is -ant, not -ent.
Watch out for: indignent, indiginant, indignint
Memory tip: Indignant people feel their dignity has been hurt. Keep the dign of dignity, then write -nant.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Passengers grew indignant when the airline cancelled the flight without offering a refund.
Example 2: Meena was indignant at being blamed for a window she had not broken.
Example 3: The players wrote an indignant letter about the poor state of the ground.
Fun Fact
Dignity and dainty sound nothing alike, yet both come from the same Latin word as indignant: dignus, worthy.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word indignant as used in the sentence:
The shopkeeper was indignant when a customer accused him of selling stale sweets.
a) outraged
b) delighted
c) sleepy
d) patient
Show answer
a) outraged. Being falsely accused makes a person outraged, which matches indignant; delighted is the opposite.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
ind_gn_nt
a) a, a
b) i, a
c) e, a
d) i, e
Show answer
b) i, a. Dignity gives the i, and the ending is -ant.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The farmer was tingnaind when officials blamed him for the canal that had flooded his own field.
a) malignant
b) dignified
c) indigenous
d) indignant
Show answer
d) indignant. The jumble has three n's and a t, and no f, m or s, which leaves indignant.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which situation would make most people indignant?
a) getting a surprise gift
b) being punished for someone else's mistake
c) eating a good meal
d) winning a race
Show answer
b) being punished for someone else's mistake
2. An indignant tone of voice sounds ____.
a) happy and excited
b) sleepy and calm
c) offended and angry
d) soft and kind
Show answer
c) offended and angry
