audacity
C1Formal to neutral; often used in critical or descriptive contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Bold or shameless boldness; daring behavior that shows a disregard for social norms, rules, or the feelings of others.
The willingness to take bold risks or to do something unexpected, often admirable in the face of difficulty, or the quality of being impudent or disrespectfully bold.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Has a dual nature: can be a negative quality (reckless disrespect) or a positive one (admirable courage). Context and modifiers (e.g., 'sheer audacity', 'remarkable audacity') determine connotation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major difference in meaning or spelling. Slight potential for more frequent use in American political/media discourse.
Connotations
Identical dual connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparatively similar frequency; appears in formal writing and speech in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + have the audacity + to-infinitiveThe audacity + of + [NP/gerund]With + audacity + [clause]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Subject] had the audacity to...”
- “The sheer audacity of it (all)!”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often critical: 'The audacity of their takeover bid shocked the market.' Can be positive for innovation: 'The project succeeded through sheer audacity.'
Academic
Used in historical/political analysis: 'The audacity of the rebellion's leaders.' Literary criticism: 'The novel's audacity lies in its form.'
Everyday
Mostly negative, expressing annoyance: 'He had the audacity to complain after all the help I gave him!'
Technical
Rare. Possibly in design/engineering for 'bold, unconventional solutions.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A – 'audacity' is a noun.
American English
- N/A – 'audacity' is a noun.
adverb
British English
- N/A – the adverb is 'audaciously'. Example: He audaciously ignored all warnings.
American English
- N/A – the adverb is 'audaciously'. Example: She acted audaciously.
adjective
British English
- N/A – the adjective is 'audacious'. Example: That was an audacious move.
American English
- N/A – the adjective is 'audacious'. Example: That was an audacious plan.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It was very audacious of him.
- I can't believe his audacity!
- She had the audacity to ask for a pay rise on her first day.
- The audacity of the thief was shocking.
- The sheer audacity of the marketing campaign made it go viral.
- They proceeded with an audacity that bordered on recklessness.
- Historians have marvelled at the strategic audacity of the general's manoeuvre.
- The proposal was dismissed not for its cost, but for its sheer political audacity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: AUDACITY sounds like 'a DA CITY' – imagine someone boldly trying to run a city without any experience; that takes audacity.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUDACITY IS A SUBSTANCE ONE POSSESSES (have the audacity); AUDACITY IS A FORCE (sheer audacity).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not synonymous with 'аудит' (audit).
- Can translate as 'наглость' (negative) or 'дерзость/смелость' (context-dependent positive/negative).
- Avoid calquing 'audacity of hope' – it's a fixed political phrase (Obama).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'audasity' or 'audasaty'.
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'courage' without acknowledging its potential negative connotation.
- Incorrect preposition: 'audacity for doing' instead of 'audacity to do' or 'audacity of doing'.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'audacity' used with a POSITIVE connotation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While often used to criticise disrespectful boldness, it can be positive when describing admirable, ground-breaking courage or innovation. Context is key.
'Courage' implies facing danger or difficulty with bravery, often morally positive. 'Audacity' emphasizes boldness that defies norms or expectations, which can be seen as either admirably daring or offensively rude.
Common patterns: 1) 'have the audacity to do something'. 2) 'the audacity of someone/something' or 'the audacity of doing something'.
No. The related adjective is 'audacious' and the adverb is 'audaciously'. The noun 'audacity' itself is not verbed.