audacity

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noun au·dac·i·ty \ ȯ-ˈda-sə-tē \

Definition of audacity

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 used in plural

Her worst audacities did not seem to surprise him.
—Edith Wharton

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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 of audacity from the Web

Their allegiance was met by this unholy alliance of perfidious greed devolving rapidly into the audacity of vituperative unparalleled predatory rapacity.

— Fortune, "24 Facts You May Not Know About Warren Buffett," 31 Aug. 2017
The audacity of Ubisoft's Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle for the Nintendo Switch is to transform Nintendo's most cherished characters into tactical weapons slowed to the gait of chess pieces.

— matt peckham, Time, "Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle," 28 Aug. 2017
Ledner's sense of humor -- and his audacity to try wholly new and clever approaches to design -- are his hallmarks.

— susan langenhennig, NOLA.com, "Albert Ledner's legacy: New Orleans architect peppered the country with modernist marvels," 23 Aug. 2017
Other positive factors include a commitment to keep learning after college; a willingness to move to major U.S. job hubs such as Seattle, Silicon Valley, or the greater Washington, D.C., area; and the audacity to dream big.

— george anders, The Atlantic, "The Unexpected Value of the Liberal Arts," 1 Aug. 2017
Like Juliet, her transgression is heightened by her choice: Juliet has the audacity to choose a Montague, and Beatrice-Joanna falls for a physically deformed servant.

— mike fischer, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Stratford Festival plays focus on women's untold stories," 31 July 2017
Even with their considerable talents, Future and Big Sean didn't have the audacity to tout their own performances.

— piet levy, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Future and Big Sean ignite Summerfest, but Migos misses the mark," 9 July 2017
This is the hefty price Williams has paid for living in her skin and having the audacity to be phenomenal.

— kellee terrell, Harper's BAZAAR, "Why Is It So Difficult For White People To Let Serena Williams Be Great?," 30 June 2017
But with breathtaking speed and audacity, its products and signifiers and favorite bands were being embraced and sent to market by the very corporations they were meant to be an alternative to.

— john herrman, New York Times, "Why the Far Right Wants to Be the New ‘Alternative’ Culture," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'audacity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of audacity

Middle English audacite, from Latin audac-, audax — see audacious

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First Known Use: 15th century

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audacity Synonyms

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

Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Discussion of audacity

temerity, audacity, hardihood, effrontery, nerve, cheek, gall, chutzpah mean conspicuous or flagrant boldness. temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.