Antonyms for audacious


Grammar : Adj
Spell : aw-dey-shuhs
Phonetic Transcription : ɔˈdeɪ ʃəs


Definition of audacious

Origin :
  • 1540s, "confident, intrepid," from Middle French audacieux, from audace "boldness," from Latin audacia "daring, boldness, courage," from audax "brave, bold, daring," but more often "bold" in a bad sense, "audacious, rash, foolhardy," from audere "to dare, be bold." Bad sense of "shameless" is attested from 1590s in English. Related: Audaciously.
  • adj reckless, daring
  • adj arrogant, presumptuous
Example sentences :
  • There was no audacious bobcat around to worry them that night.
  • Extract from : « With Trapper Jim in the North Woods » by Lawrence J. Leslie
  • She was an audacious woman, and openly looked compassionately at me.
  • Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens
  • It was audacious in me, but I took another liberty with Pangloss.
  • Extract from : « The Uncommercial Traveller » by Charles Dickens
  • Alice glanced at his serious face, and yielded to an audacious temptation.
  • Extract from : « Alice Adams » by Booth Tarkington
  • Audacious as I was, I did not care to inquire in what room I should find them.
  • Extract from : « The Room in the Dragon Volant » by J. Sheridan LeFanu
  • Surely the storm would burst at last about this audacious woman's head.
  • Extract from : « St. Martin's Summer » by Rafael Sabatini
  • The audacious irony of his words filled Plowden with an instant purpose.
  • Extract from : « The Market-Place » by Harold Frederic
  • He was exposing himself in most audacious fashion, as was his wont.
  • Extract from : « Personal Recollections of a Cavalryman » by J. H. (James Harvey) Kidd
  • He devised them—an audacious plan; and his task was only half done.
  • Extract from : « Lord Jim » by Joseph Conrad
  • This feeling accounts for nine tenths of their audacious gestures.
  • Extract from : « A Set of Six » by Joseph Conrad

Synonyms for audacious

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019