as in gall
shameless boldness
she had the temerity to ask me if she could borrow some money even though she never repaid the last loan
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Recent Examples of temerity
Most of the smashing is done by Tamburlaine, a Scythian shepherd by birth, who rises to the peaks of power, lays waste to one kingdom after another, and has the temerity, at the climax of Part 1, not to die.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
And when Hutch’s son gets into a fight at the arcade, drawing in a local adult who has the temerity to give Hutch’s daughter a shove, Hutch can’t help himself; he’s got to show these bullies who’s boss.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for temerity
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
And when Hutch’s son gets into a fight at the arcade, drawing in a local adult who has the temerity to give Hutch’s daughter a shove, Hutch can’t help himself; he’s got to show these bullies who’s boss.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for temerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temerity
Noun
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DeSantis has offered a few limp rationalizations for his demand, but nothing that would overcome the sheer gall of this re-write of the rules.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
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In 1994, at 33, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which led to the removal of part of his pancreas, the duodenum, the gall bladder and part of his liver.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
His brands, including Juicy Fruit and Spearmint, promoted gum as a way to calm nerves, curb hunger and stay focused.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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What's more, these effects also support brain health4, as the gut and brain are connected through a network of nerves called the gut-brain axis.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Sylvie's storylines are ridiculous, her wardrobe obscene, her audacity unparalleled.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The sheer audacity of the recent Louvre heist has whetted us readers’ appetites for heist stories—space heists, all the better!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach take turns transforming into floating marketplaces — docks converted to catwalks, hulls polished to reflective arrogance, sales reps who can quote fuel burn like yacht owners care about costs.—
Eric Barton,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
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College football is awash in problems, including the Big Ten’s unrivaled arrogance, and its never-ending list of demands that would make Notre Dame blush.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Temerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temerity. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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