audacity

au·dac·i·ty

noun \ȯ-ˈda-sə-tē\

plural au·dac·i·ties

Definition of AUDACITY

1

: the quality or state of being audacious: as a : intrepid boldness b : bold or arrogant disregard of normal restraints <had the audacity to defy his boss>

2

: an audacious act —usually used in plural <her worst audacities did not seem to surprise him — Edith Wharton>

Examples of AUDACITY

1. I could not believe their audacity.
2. He had the audacity to suggest that it was all my fault.

Origin of AUDACITY

Middle English audacite, from Latin audac-, audax

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to AUDACITY

Synonyms: audaciousness, effrontery, brashness, brass, brassiness, brazenness, cheek, cheekiness, chutzpah (also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa), crust, face, gall, nerve, nerviness, pertness, presumption, presumptuousness, sauce, sauciness, temerity

Related Words: arrogance, assurance, cockiness, confidence, hardihood, overconfidence, sanguinity, self-assurance, self-confidence; discourteousness, disrespect, impertinence, impoliteness, impudence, incivility, inconsiderateness, inconsideration, insolence, rudeness, ungraciousness; back talk, sass; swagger, swash

Near Antonyms: bashfulness, diffidence, faintheartedness, hesitancy, modesty, shyness, timidity, timidness, timorousness; civility, courteousness, courtesy, gentility, graciousness, mannerliness, manners

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See Synonym Discussion at temerity

Rhymes with AUDACITY

capacity, edacity, fugacity, loquacity, mendacity, opacity, predacity, pugnacity, rapacity, sagacity, sequacity, tenacity, veracity, vivacity, voracity