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

If true, however, this would be bribery at its most audacious—and creative.

From The Daily Beast

But in many ways, too, The Big Bang Theory is a far more audacious series than it gets credit for.

From The Daily Beast

Record numbers of Scottish voters shot down an audacious bid to break their 300-year union with the United Kingdom.

From The Daily Beast

It was audacious and global in scope, yet annoying for being unavoidable.

From The Daily Beast

The change, so audacious, so unorthodox, disconcerted the Costa Ricans.

From The Daily Beast

But, just examine this heterogeneous pile of 'cigar-lights,' which rears its audacious head upon the table.

From Project Gutenberg

But the outbreak of the Revolution opened a wider field to the audacious young Gascon.

From Project Gutenberg

Audacious manDefies the threats of the avenging sea,And to new shores and to new stars repeatsThe same sad tale of infamy and woe.

From Project Gutenberg

This last is notable as containing what, as far as my Baronite knows, is the most audacious rhyme in the English language.

From Project Gutenberg

He, the conqueror, the irresistible, had never before met one of this audacious and headstrong breed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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