audacity
noun
Edith Wharton
Synonyms
- audaciousness
- brashness
- brass
- brassiness
- brazenness
- cheek
- cheekiness
- chutzpah
- chutzpa
- hutzpah
- hutzpa
- crust
- effrontery
- face
- gall
- nerve
- nerviness
- pertness
- presumption
- presumptuousness
- sauce
- sauciness
- temerity
Example Sentences
Reuel Marc Gerecht, WSJ, 25 Aug. 2022 Researchers who have the audacity to go public with their concerns typically find that the reaction is anemic. David Robert Grimes, The Atlantic, 29 July 2022 And then someone in a significantly less fancy black dress has the audacity to step on the extremely long train of said Moschino gown. Marci Robin, Allure, 2 May 2022 He was disgusted that the invading soldiers had the audacity to get cozy here. Washington Post, 19 Apr. 2022 And Putin has the audacity, like all autocrats before him, to believe that might will make right. ABC News, 26 Mar. 2022 The result was a more disinhibited person—one who acted freely, spoke effusively, and approached others with a directness verging on audacity that her old self wouldn’t have dreamed of employing. Mike Mariani, Wired, 16 Aug. 2022 The scene’s audacity is muted here, however, since Ms. Stroker does not quite master the coruscating language—perhaps the only thing that makes Anne a logical mate for Richard. Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 11 July 2022 There’s even a high-tech 5G game of telephone, featuring surgery via cellphone in a scene that rivals Altman’s bloody audacity in M*A*S*H. Armond White, National Review, 1 July 2022 See More Word History
Middle English audacite, borrowed from Medieval Latin audācitāt-, audācitās, from Latin audāc-, audāx "daring, bold, excessively daring, reckless" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at audacious
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
audacity
noun
audacity
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- gall
- nerve
- arrogance
- temerity
- effrontery
- chutzpah
- audaciousness
- brazenness
- confidence
- brashness
- presumptuousness
- hutzpah
- presumption
- cheekiness
- chutzpa
- face
- pertness
- assurance
- sauciness
- brass
- crust
- cheek
- brassiness
- hutzpa
- nerviness
- hardihood
- impudence
- disrespect
- sauce
- insolence
- impertinence
- sanguinity
- cockiness
- rudeness
- inconsiderateness
- overconfidence
- inconsideration
- ungraciousness
- impoliteness
- incivility
- sass
- self-assurance
- swagger
- self-confidence
- back talk
- discourteousness
- swash
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- timidity
- modesty
- diffidence
- hesitancy
- bashfulness
- shyness
- timorousness
- manners
- graciousness
- faintheartedness
- courtesy
- timidness
- gentility
- civility
- courteousness
- mannerliness
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of audacity are cheek, chutzpah, effrontery, gall, hardihood, nerve, and temerity. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.
The synonyms effrontery and audacity are sometimes interchangeable, but effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.
The words hardihood and audacity are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.
Nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.
While the synonyms temerity and audacity are close in meaning, temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.