AUDACIOUS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does audacious mean? 

• AUDACIOUS (adjective)
  The adjective AUDACIOUS has 3 senses:

1. invulnerable to fear or intimidation

2. unrestrained by convention or propriety

3. disposed to venture or take risks

  Familiarity information: AUDACIOUS used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• AUDACIOUS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Invulnerable to fear or intimidation

Synonyms:

audacious; brave; dauntless; fearless; hardy; intrepid; unfearing

Context example:

intrepid pioneers

Similar:

bold (fearless and daring)

Derivation:

audaciousness; audacity (fearless daring)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Unrestrained by convention or propriety

Synonyms:

audacious; bald-faced; barefaced; bodacious; brassy; brazen; brazen-faced; insolent

Context example:

the modern world with its quick material successes and insolent belief in the boundless possibilities of progress

Similar:

unashamed (used of persons or their behavior; feeling no shame)

Derivation:

audaciousness; audacity (aggressive boldness or unmitigated effrontery)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Disposed to venture or take risks

Synonyms:

audacious; daring; venturesome; venturous

Context example:

a venturous spirit

Similar:

adventuresome; adventurous (willing to undertake or seeking out new and daring enterprises)

Derivation:

audaciousness; audacity (fearless daring)

 Context examples 

You must cultivate a manner with women which shall be deprecating and yet audacious.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They went away by one of the London night coaches, and I know no more about him; except that his malevolence to me at parting was audacious.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"Ah, that depends on who wears the apron!" and Laurie gave an audacious tweak at the tassel.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Mrs. Reed was rather a stout woman; but, on hearing this strange and audacious declaration, she ran nimbly up the stair, swept me like a whirlwind into the nursery, and crushing me down on the edge of my crib, dared me in an emphatic voice to rise from that place, or utter one syllable during the remainder of the day.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

But Edmund, delighted with her having such an happiness offered, and ascertaining with half a look, and half a sentence, that she had no objection but on her aunt's account, could not imagine that his mother would make any difficulty of sparing her, and therefore gave his decided open advice that the invitation should be accepted; and though Fanny would not venture, even on his encouragement, to such a flight of audacious independence, it was soon settled, that if nothing were heard to the contrary, Mrs. Grant might expect her.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

An audacious challenge which embraced them one and all, without regard to size or age, could hardly be regarded otherwise than as a joke—but it was a joke which might be a dear one for the joker.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)