temerity

noun

te·mer·i·ty tə-ˈmer-ə-tē How to pronounce temerity (audio)

plural temerities

: unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition : rashness, recklessness

: a rash or reckless act

Did you know?

When it comes to flagrant boldness, temerity, audacity, hardihood, and effrontery have the cheek to get your meaning across. Of those synonyms, temerity (from the Latin temere, meaning "blindly" or "recklessly") suggests boldness arising from contempt of danger, while audacity implies a disregard of the restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence. Hardihood implies firmness in daring and defiance, and effrontery suggests a shameless disregard of propriety and courtesy. If you're looking for a more informal term for a brash attitude, you might consider nerve, cheek, gall, or chutzpah.

Example Sentences

He defeated giant corporations—the auto industry, big pharma—back when no one else was even trying to; he had the temerity to believe that fighting for safety and quality and transparency was a quintessentially American thing to do.

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2007 A wisp of a kid (six feet, 160 pounds) with the temerity to buzz pitches up and in to Barry Bonds, Hudson has a bit of Pedro in him.

ESPN, 24 July 2000 … all the while you're balancing your two prevailing interests: recording her words to later use against her—because, she, too, had the temerity to be relatively famous and attractive (with a master's from Penn)—while also, more pressingly, trying to get invited back to her apartment.

Dave Eggers, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, 2000 He was punished for his temerity. she had the temerity to ask me if she could borrow some money even though she never repaid the last loan

Recent Examples on the Web When then-First Lady Michelle Obama slung her arm around her hostess during a visit to Buckingham Palace in 2009, royal watchers gasped at the temerity and the breach of protocol.

Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2022 Is there something to be said against Colescott’s untrammelled temerity?

Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022 As Jackson sauntered during the ensuing break in play, his chin up defiantly and jaw clenched, James did a double-take at the apparent temerity, his next-play focus transforming into disapproval.

Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2022 Now Johnson has the temerity to stand on the global stage and pretend to support Ukraine and abhor Russian interference.

Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 Being the Ricardos gets its title — and its temerity — from the odious documentary Capturing the Friedmans because Sorkin thinks in terms of behind-the-scenes exposé, lecturing the audience and reprimanding the culture.

Armond White, National Review, 18 Feb. 2022 And yet Mexico has the temerity to decry American border policy.

Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 But Justice Samuel Alito had the temerity to point out the obvious.

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2022 Herb Caen had the temerity to say first what only months before might have been considered delusional.

Michael Lerseth, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English temeryte, borrowed from Latin temeritāt- temeritās, from temere "blindly, recklessly, haphazardly" + -itāt- -itās -ity; temere going back to adverbialized locative singular of a noun *temes- "darkness," going back to Indo-European *temH-es-, whence also Sanskrit tamas- "darkness, gloom," Avestan tǝmah-, and, from the base *temH-, Lithuanian témsta, témti "to become dark," tamsà "darkness," tim͂sras "dark red (of a horse), sorrel," Old Church Slavic tĭma "darkness," tĭmĭnŭ "dark, gloomy," and from a *-ro- adjectival derivative Sanskrit tamra- "darkening, oppressive," Germanic *þemra- "darkness," whence Old High German demar "dusk, twilight"

Note: See also tenebrae.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

temerity

noun

as in gall

shameless boldness she had the temerity to ask me if she could borrow some money even though she never repaid the last loan

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

gall
nerve
audacity
arrogance
effrontery
chutzpah
audaciousness
confidence
brazenness
brashness
face
presumptuousness
presumption
pertness
cheekiness
hutzpah
chutzpa
sauciness
brass
cheek
assurance
crust
brassiness
hardihood
impudence
sauce
nerviness
hutzpa
disrespect
impertinence
insolence
sanguinity
rudeness
cockiness
inconsiderateness
ungraciousness
overconfidence
impoliteness
inconsideration
incivility
sass
self-assurance
back talk
self-confidence
swagger
discourteousness
swash

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

timidity
hesitancy
bashfulness
diffidence
modesty
timorousness
shyness
faintheartedness
manners
courtesy
timidness
graciousness
gentility
civility
courteousness
mannerliness

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of temerity are audacity, cheek, chutzpah, effrontery, gall, hardihood, and nerve. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

While the synonyms audacity and temerity are close in meaning, audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

While in some cases nearly identical to temerity, effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

In some situations, the words hardihood and temerity are roughly equivalent. However, hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

Nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

the nerve of that guy

has the cheek to call herself a singer

had the gall to demand proof

the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

单词	temerity
释义	temerity noun te·mer·i·ty tə-ˈmer-ə-tē plural temerities 1 : unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition : rashness, recklessness 2 : a rash or reckless act Did you know? When it comes to flagrant boldness, temerity, audacity, hardihood, and effrontery have the cheek to get your meaning across. Of those synonyms, temerity (from the Latin temere, meaning "blindly" or "recklessly") suggests boldness arising from contempt of danger, while audacity implies a disregard of the restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence. Hardihood implies firmness in daring and defiance, and effrontery suggests a shameless disregard of propriety and courtesy. If you're looking for a more informal term for a brash attitude, you might consider nerve, cheek, gall, or chutzpah. Synonyms audaciousness audacity brashness brass brassiness brazenness cheek cheekiness chutzpah chutzpa hutzpah hutzpa crust effrontery face gall nerve nerviness pertness presumption presumptuousness sauce sauciness See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences He defeated giant corporations—the auto industry, big pharma—back when no one else was even trying to; he had the temerity to believe that fighting for safety and quality and transparency was a quintessentially American thing to do. Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2007 A wisp of a kid (six feet, 160 pounds) with the temerity to buzz pitches up and in to Barry Bonds, Hudson has a bit of Pedro in him. ESPN, 24 July 2000 … all the while you're balancing your two prevailing interests: recording her words to later use against her—because, she, too, had the temerity to be relatively famous and attractive (with a master's from Penn)—while also, more pressingly, trying to get invited back to her apartment. Dave Eggers, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, 2000 He was punished for his temerity. she had the temerity to ask me if she could borrow some money even though she never repaid the last loan Recent Examples on the Web When then-First Lady Michelle Obama slung her arm around her hostess during a visit to Buckingham Palace in 2009, royal watchers gasped at the temerity and the breach of protocol. Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2022 Is there something to be said against Colescott’s untrammelled temerity? Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 18 July 2022 As Jackson sauntered during the ensuing break in play, his chin up defiantly and jaw clenched, James did a double-take at the apparent temerity, his next-play focus transforming into disapproval. Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2022 Now Johnson has the temerity to stand on the global stage and pretend to support Ukraine and abhor Russian interference. Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 15 July 2022 Being the Ricardos gets its title — and its temerity — from the odious documentary Capturing the Friedmans because Sorkin thinks in terms of behind-the-scenes exposé, lecturing the audience and reprimanding the culture. Armond White, National Review, 18 Feb. 2022 And yet Mexico has the temerity to decry American border policy. Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 But Justice Samuel Alito had the temerity to point out the obvious. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 Mar. 2022 Herb Caen had the temerity to say first what only months before might have been considered delusional. Michael Lerseth, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English temeryte, borrowed from Latin temeritāt- temeritās, from temere "blindly, recklessly, haphazardly" + -itāt- -itās -ity; temere going back to adverbialized locative singular of a noun temes- "darkness," going back to Indo-European temH-es-, whence also Sanskrit tamas- "darkness, gloom," Avestan tǝmah-, and, from the base temH-, Lithuanian témsta, témti* "to become dark," tamsà "darkness," tim͂sras "dark red (of a horse), sorrel," Old Church Slavic tĭma "darkness," tĭmĭnŭ "dark, gloomy," and from a -ro- adjectival derivative Sanskrit tamra-* "darkening, oppressive," Germanic þemra- "darkness," whence Old High German demar* "dusk, twilight" Note: See also tenebrae. First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 temerity noun as in gall shameless boldness she had the temerity to ask me if she could borrow some money even though she never repaid the last loan Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance gall nerve audacity arrogance effrontery chutzpah audaciousness confidence brazenness brashness face presumptuousness presumption pertness cheekiness hutzpah chutzpa sauciness brass cheek assurance crust brassiness hardihood impudence sauce nerviness hutzpa disrespect impertinence insolence sanguinity rudeness cockiness inconsiderateness ungraciousness overconfidence impoliteness inconsideration incivility sass self-assurance back talk self-confidence swagger discourteousness swash Antonyms & Near Antonyms timidity hesitancy bashfulness diffidence modesty timorousness shyness faintheartedness manners courtesy timidness graciousness gentility civility courteousness mannerliness See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of temerity are audacity, cheek, chutzpah, effrontery, gall, hardihood, and nerve. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger. had the temerity to refuse While the synonyms audacity and temerity are close in meaning, audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence. an entrepreneur with audacity and vision While in some cases nearly identical to temerity, effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy. outraged at his effrontery In some situations, the words hardihood and temerity are roughly equivalent. However, hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance. admired for her hardihood Nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery. the nerve of that guy has the cheek to call herself a singer had the gall to demand proof the chutzpah needed for a career in show business
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