Audacious
adjective /ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/ — Willing to take bold, daring risks — with fearless disregard for conventional limits.
Definition
Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks or make unexpectedly confident moves — characterised by fearless daring, often of the kind that makes everyone else briefly wonder if it will work.
Beyond the definition
Audacious is bolder than brave. Brave acknowledges the danger; audacious sometimes seems not to. There is a theatricality to audacity: it is daring that knows it's being watched, that performs its own courage.
Origin & history
Latin 'audax' (bold, daring), from 'audere' (to dare). Related to 'audacity.' The same root as the impulse to hear or face something.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The audacious offer arrived without warning and changed everything.
She made an audacious claim and then calmly supported every word of it.
Audacious is not reckless — it's calculated boldness dressed as spontaneity.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Audacious” when the meaning fits your context: Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks or make unexpectedly confident moves — characterised by fearless daring, often of the kind that makes everyone else briefly wonder if it will work.
Synonyms
bold, daring, fearless, intrepid, brazen
Antonyms
timid, cautious, tentative
Related words
Audacious vs bold
Bold indicates confidence and lack of fear. Audacious implies a more shocking or risky kind of boldness that might push boundaries of social norms or safety to achieve a daring result.
Questions about this word
What does "Audacious" mean?
Audacious is adjective meaning: Willing to take bold, daring risks — with fearless disregard for conventional limits.. Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks or make unexpectedly confident moves — characterised by fearless daring, often of the kind that makes everyone else briefly wonder if it will work.
Where does the word "Audacious" come from?
Latin 'audax' (bold, daring), from 'audere' (to dare). Related to 'audacity.' The same root as the impulse to hear or face something.