audacity
[aw-das-i-tee]
- boldness or daring, especially with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions.
- effrontery or insolence; shameless boldness: His questioner's audacity shocked the lecturer.
- Usually audacities. audacious or particularly bold or daring acts or statements.
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Origin of audacity
Synonyms
See more synonyms for audacity on Thesaurus.com1. nerve, spunk, grit, temerity, foolhardiness. 2. impudence, impertinence, brashness.
Antonyms
1, 2. discretion, prudence.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for audacity
Contemporary Examples
In the end, talent and technique got the better of ardor and audacity.
They have a great sense of performance, bravado, and audacity.
The Great Character Actor: Guy Pearce on His Brilliant Career, From ‘Priscilla’ to ‘The Rover’Richard Porton
May 23, 2014
As David Plouffe detailed in his book, The Audacity To Win, the campaign had committed in writing to stay in the federal system.
In real life both men shared the gift of audacity; they were subversive, dissident and seductive.
Lawrence of Arabia Became Popular as the Dashing Antithesis of the War in EuropeJack Schwartz
December 21, 2013
It had to do with me having the audacity to mock their new savior Ted Cruz.
Historical Examples
The mother's manner was a crushing rebuke to the young man for his audacity.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
"He certainly is not lacking in audacity," thought Mr. Morgan.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
She had a fondness and admiration for this child and her audacity.
Life and Death of Harriett FreanMay Sinclair
Buttner, thinking to punish him for his audacity, put a 'poser' to him, and awaited the result.
Heroes of the TelegraphJ. Munro
Your coming here is an affront, an impertinence, an audacity.
Little DorritCharles Dickens
Word Origin and History for audacity
n.
mid-15c., from Medieval Latin audacitas "boldness," from Latin audacis genitive of audax (see audacious).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper