audacity

noun

au·​dac·​i·​ty ȯ-ˈda-sə-tē 

plural audacities

1

: the quality or state of being audacious: such as

a

: intrepid boldness

knights admired for their audacity

b

: bold or arrogant disregard of normal restraints

had the audacity to defy his boss

2

: an audacious act

—usually plural

Her worst audacities did not seem to surprise him.

—Edith Wharton

Synonyms of audacity

• gall
• nerve
• arrogance
• temerity

Choose the Right Synonym for audacity

temerity, audacity, hardihood, effrontery, nerve, cheek, gall, chutzpah mean conspicuous or flagrant boldness.

temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

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

Examples of audacity in a Sentence

I could not believe their audacity.

He had the audacity to suggest that it was all my fault.

Recent Examples on the Web

The artist needs to have the audacity to trust that the audience will get the joke. — Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026

Within such a movement, no band is embracing it with the tenacity — or the audacity — of Dexter and the Moonrocks. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026

The haughtiness and audacity of RHONY set a precedent for future cities, making the infamous season nine Gangster Lunch an obvious scene to recreate. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Beyoncé describes the original project as essentially her first visual album, using short films to explore the full arc of a relationship and themes of confidence, liberation, audacity and compatibility. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English audacite, borrowed from Medieval Latin audācitāt-, audācitās, from Latin audāc-, audāx "daring, bold, excessively daring, reckless" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at audacious

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for audacity

• capacity
• fugacity
• loquacity
• mendacity
• opacity
• rapacity
• sagacity
• tenacity
• veracity
• vivacity
• voracity
• incapacity

Kids Definition

audacity

noun

au·​dac·​i·​ty ȯ-ˈdas-ət-ē 

plural audacities

: the quality or fact of being audacious