audacity

[aw-das-i-tee]

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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of audacity¹

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

Example Sentences

Then he has the audacity to use my grandmother’s dashiki to dab his mouth before collapsing in bliss.

Read more on Literature

The Faroes, who were on a three-match winning run and still harboured faint hopes of qualification, had the audacity to take the lead against opponents who only needed a draw to progress.

Read more on Barron's

The first one read: "How dare someone like you have the audacity to leave a date with me?"

Read more on BBC

“That is how you can get over the audacity and insanity of it all.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s the first time in history… that any party has had the audacity to shut down the government over a clean CR.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chutzpah 
• gall 
• guts www.thesaurus.com
• spunk