Synonym Chooser

How is the word audacity different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of audacity are cheek, chutzpah, effrontery, gall, hardihood, nerve, and temerity. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

When can effrontery be used instead of audacity?

The synonyms effrontery and audacity are sometimes interchangeable, but effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

When might hardihood be a better fit than audacity?

The words hardihood and audacity are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

How is nerve related to other words for audacity?

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

When is temerity a more appropriate choice than audacity?

While the synonyms temerity and audacity are close in meaning, temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of audacity This creator, in the true sense of the word, adds a touch here and there, drapes or lets fall the folds of a cape or a huge collar, borrows from all the epochs of fashion and interprets them all, and in the sum total, never fails to amaze us with his exquisite audacity. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 7 July 2025 The duck, more than a mascot, became a symbol of calculated audacity. Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 When envisioning an effective leader, many people imagine a larger-than-life figure who commands attention through sheer charisma and audacity. Mark Lasota, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025 This, mind you, at a time when Black men were killed for talking to White women, killed for looking at White women, killed for having the audacity to just coexist with White women. Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for audacity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for audacity
Noun
  • Take, for instance, another women’s sports team that had the gall to outperform their male counterparts, the U.S. Women’s National Team.
    Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 6 Aug. 2025
  • People were essentially imprisoned in their homes, yet Newsom had the gall to dine mask-free at French Laundry with lobbyists.
    Houman Hemmati, Oc Register, 20 July 2025
Noun
  • The surgery comes with risks, including nerve injury and a loss of range of motion.
    Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria can go to various parts of the body including the heart, central nervous system, the brain or peripheral nerves.
    Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The failure to heed early warnings from experts like Makary and Bhattacharya—now in positions to reshape federal health policy—underscores the arrogance of it all.
    Houman Hemmati, Oc Register, 20 July 2025
  • One of the habits of being trustworthy is being humble, so when assertiveness tips into arrogance this is a red flag for potential clients.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • That’s because every time a Chinese company has the temerity to succeed stateside, protectionist impulses within the political and administrative classes get to work on discrediting the company with charges of – yes – espionage.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
  • In this case, a jealous pope (President Trump) delights in humiliating an upstart bishop (Gov. DeSantis) for having the temerity to challenge his supremacy as Autocrat In Chief.
    Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Audacity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/audacity. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on audacity

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