Audacious Meaning
/ɔːˈdeɪ.ʃəs/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjShowing willingness to take bold risks; recklessly daring.
adjImpudent, insolent.
Sentence Examples
Only an audacious mind will be able to solve this riddle.
You've got to be audacious!
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ plan to climb the mountain without ropes surprised even experienced climbers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The bold explorer made an ____ plan to cross the ocean alone.
Word Origin & History
From Latin audacia (“boldness”), from audax (“bold”), from audeō (“to be bold, to dare”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It was an audacious thing for her to attempt, but boldness had often served her turn before."
— 1871, Anthony Trollope, The Eustace Diamonds:
"That such a safe adaptation could come of The Hunger Games speaks more to the trilogy’s commercial ascent than the book’s actual content, which is audacious and savvy in its dark calculations."
— 2012 March 22, Scott Tobias, “The Hunger Games”, in AV Club, archived from the original on 27 Mar 2013:
"The audacious hijacking in Paris of a van carrying the baggage of a Saudi prince to his private jet is obviously an embarrassment to the French capital, whose ultra-high-end boutiques have suffered a spate of heists in recent months."
— 2014 August 21, “A brazen heist in Paris [print version: International New York Times, 22 August 2014, p. 8]”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 17 Dec 2020:
"Cuba’s economy minister described "audacious" measures to tame inflation…"
— 2022 May 14, Dave Sherwood and Nelson Acosta, “Cuba sees hints of recovery, announces "audacious" measures to tame inflation”, in Reuters, archived from the original on 23 Jul 2022:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ plan to climb the mountain without ropes surprised even experienced climbers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The bold explorer made an ____ plan to cross the ocean alone.