had the impudence

USAGE SUMMARY

"had the impudence" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe someone showing boldness or disrespect, often in a surprising or audacious way. Example: "She had the impudence to question his authority in front of everyone." Alternative expressions include "had the audacity" and "had the nerve."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Reference

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Sarkozy is now targeting the trade unions that have had the impudence of opposing the changes.

The Guardian - Opinion

The journalists welcomed this, but then had the impudence to demand the lifting of a host of other strictures on press freedom.Such internal mutterings, along with pressure from the West, have clearly put the region's rulers on the defensive.

The Economist

At some brainstorming session, they clearly war-gamed out how he should respond at prime minister's questions if Jeremy Corbyn had the impudence to refer to his mother, Mary Cameron, signing a petition opposing cuts to children's centres.

The Guardian - Opinion

Star Jones Reynolds had the impudence, the nerve, the unmitigated gall to do what no one would remotely expect a celebrity in her position to do: Tell the truth.

The Washington Post

The populists with pitchforks who screamed bloody murder at the A.I.G. bonuses are not saying nearly enough, or screaming loudly enough, about an even more outrageous action by the recently bankrupt banks that have now had the impudence to hike credit card interest rates sharply, even on customers who have always been current in their payments.

Huffington Post

Even more indicative of this man's egomania, he had the impudence to crow that he was so proud of himself because he had "accomplished something that nobody else has been able to accomplish," when the President released his long form birth certificate.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

But the Guardian stood to lose hundreds of thousands of pounds for having the impudence to publish it.

The Guardian - Opinion

The Queen's speech began with the phrase "Listen, you Scottish bastards," and became steadily saltier as the monarch blasted her subjects for having the impudence to consider leaving the fold.

The New Yorker

And I'm going to reread Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks (Vintage Classics) to marvel again at how a 25-year-old could have the impudence to take on such a huge subject and the genius to deal with it so majestically.

The Guardian - Books

Before being cut off by a prison official, Tolokonnikova said: "I hope they don't have the impudence to jail him – because, after all, he is even more of a media figure among the people than the members of Pussy Riot, at least in Russia.

The Guardian - Music

In his 1925 tract, "Mein Kampf," he wrote that "the broad masses" are more likely to "fall victims to the big lie than the small lie," because "It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the register of your writing; this phrase fits better in sophisticated journalism, literature or formal critiques than in casual conversation.

Common error

Do not pair the phrase with adjectives that are already inherent to its meaning, such as saying "had the rude impudence". Impudence is defined as being rude or disrespectful, so the adjective adds no new information and clutters the sentence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had the impudence" serves as a verb phrase that attributes a specific negative quality—audacious disrespect—to a subject's past action. In the context of Ludwig AI examples, it often introduces a subordinate clause starting with "to", which details the specific act that was considered impudent.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

0%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had the impudence" is a sophisticated and grammatically correct way to describe an act of shocking boldness or disrespect. According to Ludwig AI data, it is favored by high-authority media outlets such as The New York Times and The Guardian to provide a moral or social critique of behavior. While it is less frequent than "had the audacity", its usage in quality prose adds a layer of literary precision and gravitas. It is best used in contexts where the writer wishes to emphasize the shamelessness of an action without resorting to more colloquial terms.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had the audacity

Uses a more common term for shocking boldness, often interchangeable in modern contexts.

had the gall

Carries a stronger connotation of bitterness or extreme insolence.

had the nerve

A slightly more idiomatic and common way to describe the same behavior.

had the effrontery

More formal and literary, emphasizing the shameless nature of the act.

showed the temerity

Highlights the recklessness or rashness associated with the bold behavior.

dared to

Focuses on the act of bravery or foolhardiness rather than the lack of respect.

possessed the cheek

A more informal, British-leaning alternative that implies a mischievous lack of respect.

behaved with insolence

Describes the general manner of behavior rather than a specific instance of impudence.

had the brass

A very informal idiom, primarily used in British English to denote overconfidence.

ventured to

A much softer and more polite version, lacking the negative judgment of impudence.

FAQs

How to use "had the impudence" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe someone's bold disrespect, for example: "He "had the impudence" to demand a promotion despite his poor performance."

What can I say instead of "had the impudence"?

Depending on your desired tone, you could use "had the audacity", "had the nerve" or "had the gall".

What is the difference between "had the impudence" and "had the audacity"?

While very similar, "had the audacity" is more common in contemporary English, whereas "had the impudence" feels slightly more literary and specifically targets a lack of proper respect.

Is "had the impudence" considered formal English?

Yes, it is typically used in neutral to formal registers, such as in high-quality journalism like The New York Times or The Guardian, where precise and evocative language is valued.