audacious
adjective
au·da·cious ȯ-ˈdā-shəs 
1
a
: intrepidly daring : adventurous
an audacious mountain climber
b
: recklessly bold : rash
an audacious maneuver
2
: contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum : insolent
an audacious maverick
3
: marked by originality and verve
audacious experiments
audaciously adverb
audaciousness noun
Did you know?
Audacious first appeared in English in the mid-1500s. It was borrowed from the Middle French adjective audacieux, which was derived from the noun audace ("boldness, audacity"). Audace came from the Latin audacia, a derivative of the Latin root audac- ("bold"). Audac- is also the source of audacity, which appeared in Middle English (as audacite) in the 1400s. Audac- can be traced, by way of the Latin verb audēre ("to dare"), to the Latin adjective avidus ("eager" or "greedy"), which was also borrowed by English, either directly from Latin or via the French avide, to give us our adjective avid. Among the early adopters of audacious was William Shakespeare, who used the word seven times in his plays, as in Henry VI, Part 2, where Somerset addresses York with the lines, "I arrest thee, York, / Of capital treason 'gainst the King and crown. / Obey, audacious traitor, kneel for grace."
Synonyms
- arch
- bold
- bold-faced
- brash
- brassbound
- brassy
- brazen
- brazen-faced
- cheeky
- cocksure
- cocky
- fresh
- impertinent
- impudent
- insolent
- nervy
- sassy
- saucy
- wise
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Whatever made him think his audacious fiction would sell—especially after a lifetime of literary marginalization—is a mystery, but he has certainly been vindicated. With a rush of work that he did not begin publishing until he was in his forties, he won literary fame in Europe and Latin America. 
Valerie Sayers, Commonweal, 13 July 2007 This is an audacious claim, and Kramer anticipates, even encourages, the controversy it might provoke. Gary Greenberg, Harper's, August 2005 … Morgan Pressel, the top-ranked female amateur in the country, has charted a less audacious course. A 17-year-old scrapper who gained prominence by tying for second at the U.S. Women's Open in June, Pressel is satisfied with taking on and whipping her own kind. E. M. Swift, Sports Illustrated, 8 Aug. 2005 … he owns and operates a seductively spacious jazz club. But that's his day job, his cover. He executes his audacious midnight burglaries outside of the city, working solo, mapping out every detail so that nothing can go wrong, then returning like a phantom. Owen Gliberman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2001 They have audacious plans for the new school. This is her most audacious film so far. She made an audacious decision to quit her job. See More
Valerie Sayers, Commonweal, 13 July 2007 This is an audacious claim, and Kramer anticipates, even encourages, the controversy it might provoke. Gary Greenberg, Harper's, August 2005 … Morgan Pressel, the top-ranked female amateur in the country, has charted a less audacious course. A 17-year-old scrapper who gained prominence by tying for second at the U.S. Women's Open in June, Pressel is satisfied with taking on and whipping her own kind. E. M. Swift, Sports Illustrated, 8 Aug. 2005 … he owns and operates a seductively spacious jazz club. But that's his day job, his cover. He executes his audacious midnight burglaries outside of the city, working solo, mapping out every detail so that nothing can go wrong, then returning like a phantom. Owen Gliberman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2001 They have audacious plans for the new school. This is her most audacious film so far. She made an audacious decision to quit her job. See More Recent Examples on the Web The period when the Libermans’ parents’ idea of chaimatics took its most audacious public turn, toward a theory of everything, was the period when the family’s finances began to approach collapse. Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 25 July 2022 But Manchin, who represents coal-heavy West Virginia, initially opposed their most audacious plans, including efforts to punish the worst polluters. Tony Romm And Jeff Stein, Anchorage Daily News, 15 July 2022 Here's an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the most audacious space project in decades... Scientific American, 7 July 2022 Strange’s undeniable talent and versatility have resulted in one of 2022’s most audacious albums, one that whirls through ideas while exploding preconceptions. Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2022 In most states, the lawmakers who challenged the 2020 results do not yet have the numbers, or the support of governors, secretaries of state or legislative leaders, to achieve their most audacious aims. Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, 22 May 2022 But now, less than two years later, Luckin Coffee is attempting one of the most audacious turnarounds in corporate history. Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, 22 May 2022 In most states, the lawmakers who challenged the 2020 results do not yet have the numbers, or the support of governors, secretaries of state or legislative leaders, to achieve their most audacious aims. Nick Corasaniti, BostonGlobe.com, 22 May 2022 Chale Wote manifests in the most audacious street style, where rules are obsolete. Ken Kweku Nimo, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2022 See More
Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 25 July 2022 But Manchin, who represents coal-heavy West Virginia, initially opposed their most audacious plans, including efforts to punish the worst polluters. Tony Romm And Jeff Stein, Anchorage Daily News, 15 July 2022 Here's an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the most audacious space project in decades... Scientific American, 7 July 2022 Strange’s undeniable talent and versatility have resulted in one of 2022’s most audacious albums, one that whirls through ideas while exploding preconceptions. Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2022 In most states, the lawmakers who challenged the 2020 results do not yet have the numbers, or the support of governors, secretaries of state or legislative leaders, to achieve their most audacious aims. Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, 22 May 2022 But now, less than two years later, Luckin Coffee is attempting one of the most audacious turnarounds in corporate history. Grady Mcgregor, Fortune, 22 May 2022 In most states, the lawmakers who challenged the 2020 results do not yet have the numbers, or the support of governors, secretaries of state or legislative leaders, to achieve their most audacious aims. Nick Corasaniti, BostonGlobe.com, 22 May 2022 Chale Wote manifests in the most audacious street style, where rules are obsolete. Ken Kweku Nimo, Vogue, 24 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Middle French audacieux, from audace "daring, recklessness" (borrowed from Latin audācia, from audāc-, audāx "daring, bold, excessively daring, reckless" + -ia -ia entry 1) + -ieux -ious; audāx from audēre "to intend, dare, venture" (verbal derivative of avidus "ardent, eager, greedy") + -āc-,-āx, deverbal suffix denoting habitual or successful performance (probably going back to Indo-European *-eh2, noun ending + *-k-, suffixal formative) — more at avid
First Known Use
1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Kids Definition
audacious
adjective
au·da·cious ȯ-ˈdā-shəs
1
: very bold and daring : fearless
an audacious scheme
2
: disrespectful of authority : insolent
an audacious radio personality
audacious
adjective
1
as in bold
displaying or marked by rude boldness with an audacious disregard for innocent bystanders, rival gang members opened fire Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bold
- brazen
- impudent
- wise
- cheeky
- insolent
- defiant
- saucy
- sassy
- fresh
- blunt
- brassy
- cocky
- brash
- assertive
- brazen-faced
- impertinent
- nervy
- cocksure
- bold-faced
- cute
- arch
- smart
- unabashed
- brassbound
- unblushing
- disrespectful
- obtrusive
- shameless
- flippant
- forward
- bluff
- curt
- facetious
- flip
- mouthy
- lippy
- pert
- smart-alecky
- smart-aleck
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- timid
- humble
- modest
- shy
- meek
- demure
- courteous
- polite
- retiring
- proper
- respectful
- mousy
- genteel
- embarrassed
- deferential
- abashed
- shamefaced
- gentle
- mild
- mannerly
- inconspicuous
- mousey
- unobtrusive
- blushing
- ashamed
2
as in courageous
foolishly adventurous or bold an audacious effort to start her own business with no real plan or funding Synonyms & Similar Words
- courageous
- reckless
- brave
- daring
- adventurous
- daredevil
- foolhardy
- madcap
- heroic
- brash
- temerarious
- overconfident
- fearless
- overbold
- foolish
- heroical
- impulsive
- gallant
- gutsy
- valiant
- venturous
- bold
- careless
- adventuresome
- dauntless
- undaunted
- intrepid
- venturesome
- imprudent
- impetuous
- hardy
- valorous
- manful
- stouthearted
- rash
- lionhearted
- incautious
- hotheaded
- doughty
- thoughtless
- harebrained
- stout
- hasty
- greathearted
- stalwart
- heedless
- scatterbrained
- headlong
- undauntable
- brainless
- precipitate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- careful
- cautious
- circumspect
- prudent
- wary
- safe
- timid
- unambitious
- fearful
- unadventurous
- scary
- heedful
- guarded
- sensible
- timorous
- shy
- intelligent
- cool
- fainthearted
- calm
- sharp
- skittish
- dastardly
- levelheaded
- pusillanimous
- cowardly
- mousy
- unheroic
- alert
- craven
- yellow
- quick-witted
- spineless
- mousey
- recreant
- chicken
- chickenhearted
- lily-livered
3
as in adventurous
inclined or willing to take risks audacious adventurers risking everything they had for a shot at glory Synonyms & Similar Words
- adventurous
- daring
- bold
- courageous
- fearless
- brave
- gutsy
- venturous
- emboldened
- reckless
- adventuresome
- hardy
- venturesome
- enterprising
- dashing
- impulsive
- heroic
- nervy
- foolish
- nerved
- valiant
- gallant
- foolhardy
- imprudent
- heroical
- impetuous
- madcap
- stupid
- free-swinging
- thoughtless
- dauntless
- undaunted
- unafraid
- silly
- intrepid
- incautious
- spirited
- rash
- daredevil
- brash
- absurd
- wild
- valorous
- dumb
- hotheaded
- heedless
- overconfident
- hasty
- swashbuckling
- spunky
- stouthearted
- plucky
- lionhearted
- idiotic
- mad
- unreasonable
- insane
- harebrained
- unnecessary
- asinine
- gritty
- headlong
- overbold
- wacky
- crazy
- lunatic
- irrational
- moronic
- stalwart
- stout
- nutty
- whacky
- witless
- scatterbrained
- precipitate
- greathearted
- brainless
- idiotical
- half-witted
- gadarene
- balmy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- timid
- cautious
- pusillanimous
- careful
- unadventurous
- timorous
- cowardly
- craven
- prudent
- wary
- shy
- coward
- afraid
- frightened
- overcautious
- fearful
- milky
- terrified
- reasonable
- startled
- heedful
- sensible
- unenterprising
- shocked
- alarmed
- horrified
- wise
- scared
- fainthearted
- unnerved
- lily-livered
- chickenhearted
- sane
- sound
- spooked
- rational
- cool
- overcareful
- poltroon
- affrighted
- upset
- levelheaded
- appalled
- calm
- milk-livered
- concerned
- worried
- dismayed
- sage
- terrorized