audacious

[ aw-dey-shuhs ]

adjective

1. extremely bold or daring; recklessly brave; fearless:

   an audacious explorer.

   Synonyms: venturesome, dauntless, intrepid, courageous

   Antonyms: cowardly

2. extremely original; without restriction to prior ideas; highly inventive:

   an audacious vision of the city's bright future.

3. recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; brazen.

   Synonyms: unabashed, forward, impertinent, shameless

4. lively; unrestrained; uninhibited:

   an audacious interpretation of her role.

audacious

/ ɔːˈdeɪʃəs; ɔːˈdæsɪtɪ /

adjective

1. recklessly bold or daring; fearless
2. impudent or presumptuous

Derived Forms

• auˈdaciousness, noun
• auˈdaciously, adverb

Other Words From

• au·dacious·ly adverb
• au·dacious·ness noun
• unau·dacious adjective
• unau·dacious·ly adverb
• unau·dacious·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of audacious¹

First recorded in 1540–50; audaci(ty) + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of audacious¹

C16: from Latin audāx bold, from audēre to dare

Example Sentences

Their cousin sign, Aquarius, often shoulders the reputation of being the unicorn of the zodiac, but it is Sagittarius that is just as, and sometimes more so, elusive and audacious.

From Los Angeles Times

How do you bring her audacious wit, rampaging delivery and path-breaking fearlessness back to life?

From Los Angeles Times

Judge Mrs Justice Lambert said it was an "audacious" and extensively planned scheme to "kill a man in plain sight", which nearly worked.

From BBC

Yet, the police believe his audacious influence endures.

From BBC

The plan is far more audacious than can be summarized here, but largely consists of neopatrimonial policies intended to punish the American people, rather than serve them.

From Salon

Related Words

• adventurous
• bold
• courageous
• foolhardy
• resolute
• risky