English Reference
Adjective

audacious

adj.
C1 Advanced US /ɑˈdeɪʃəs/ UK /ɔːdˈeɪʃəs/ au·da·cious

adj.very bold and daring. You use this to describe someone who does something risky or surprising that most people would not try.

adj.characterised by boldness, daring, or a willingness to take significant risks. Often used to describe actions or plans that are unconventional and potentially dangerous.


SIMPLE

The team made an audacious move to buy the company.

CONTEXTUAL

The architect's audacious design for the new museum includes a glass roof that looks like a giant bubble.

COMPLEX

Her audacious proposal to merge the two rival departments was initially met with skepticism, but it eventually proved to be the most effective way to streamline operations.

The pair conjured a feat of audacious imagination, a call-to-arms cacophony of twangy guitars, lusty yodelling, voodoo incantations, comedy gunshots and euphoric, communal chanting.

The Guardian· 26 Aug 2026

It is 50 years since Antonin Panenka won the European Championship for Czechoslovakia with the most audacious penalty ever taken.

The Guardian· 3 Aug 2026

From Latin audacia (“boldness”), from audax (“bold”), from audeō (“I am bold, I dare”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated