audacity

American  

[aw-das-i-tee] / ɔˈdæs ɪ ti /

noun

plural

audacities

1. boldness or daring, especially with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions.

   Synonyms:

   foolhardiness, temerity, grit, spunk, nerve

   Antonyms:

   prudence, discretion

2. effrontery or insolence; shameless boldness.

   His questioner's audacity shocked the lecturer.

   Synonyms:

   brashness, impertinence, impudence

   Antonyms:

   discretion, prudence

3. Usually audacities audacious or particularly bold or daring acts or statements.

---

Etymology

Origin of audacity

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English audacite, equivalent to Latin audāc- (stem of audāx “bold, daring”) + -ity

Example Sentences

I had a lot of audacity back then.

From Los Angeles Times

“You had the audacity to do your job.”

From The Wall Street Journal

But no; half the time, corporations have the audacity to charge a service fee on top of the money they have saved by not hiring someone to do the work you, the consumer, just did.

From Los Angeles Times

She was made to feel like a "terrible person" for "having the audacity to complain", she added.

From BBC

Gets an extra mark for the audacity of batting at number three.

From BBC

Related Words

• chutzpah
• gall
• guts
• spunk