brazen

[ brey-zuhn ]

adjective

1. shameless or impudent:

   brazen presumption.

   Synonyms: brassy, defiant, insolent

2. made of brass.
3. like brass, as in sound, color, or strength.

   Synonyms: brassy

verb (used with object)

1. to make brazen or bold.

verb phrase

1. to face boldly or shamelessly:

   He prefers to brazen it out rather than admit defeat.

brazen

/ ˈbreɪzən /

adjective

1. shameless and bold
2. made of or resembling brass
3. having a ringing metallic sound like that of a brass trumpet

verb

1. usually foll byout or through to face and overcome boldly or shamelessly

   the witness brazened out the prosecutor's questions

2. to make (oneself, etc) bold or brash

Derived Forms

• ˈbrazenness, noun
• ˈbrazenly, adverb

Other Words From

• bra·zen·ly adverb
• bra·zen·ness noun
• out·bra·zen verb (used with object)
• un·bra·zen adjective
• un·bra·zen·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of brazen¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English brasen (adjective), Old English bræsen “(made) of brass”; brass

Word History and Origins

Origin of brazen¹

Old English bræsen , from bræs brass

Synonym Study

See bold.

Example Sentences

Ian Jannetta, a spokesman for Metro, called the incident “brazen” and “violent in nature.”

From Washington Post

Perhaps the most dunked-on alleged rioter was Texas real estate agent Jenna Ryan, who appeared to use the brazen attack on American democracy as a branding opportunity.

From Washington Post

You are therefore free not to participate — so long as you keep to yourself your feeling that the invitation is brazen gift-fishing.

From Washington Post

The brazen afternoon shooting is indicative of a violent year in the District.

From Washington Post

He has taken brazen steps, such as meeting with Michigan’s top legislators in a bid to have new electors chosen that would pick him.

From Washington Post

Brazen cherry-picking of the information in this story inspired a flood of “Bush Was Right All Along!”

From The Daily Beast

And yet brazen bandits prove time and again they are willing to try to return anything.

From The Daily Beast

The brazen land grab of Crimea was planned while Putin was enjoying the limelight of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

From The Daily Beast

As the brazen crime leads to the discovery of several bodies, media coverage feeds a sense of security imperiled.

From The Daily Beast

It is the first time that Iranian TV has publicized this type of report in such a brazen manner.

From The Daily Beast

The order of the bells is first “silver,” second “golden,” third “brazen,” and fourth “iron.”

From Project Gutenberg

The brazen roar of the cannon is mingled with the intermittent rattle of innumerable machine guns.

From Project Gutenberg

I went out to-night to take a quiet walk upon this place, and the horrid brazen discord of these trumpeters set me half mad.

From Project Gutenberg

Jupiter is mentioned in Ovid's Metamorphoses immediately after the description of the golden, silver, brazen, and iron ages.

From Project Gutenberg

An allusion to the fable in sop about the earthern and brazen pots being dashed together.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• audacious
• blatant
• bold
• impudent
• shameless
• unabashed