Audacious

mediumPositive tone

aw-DAY-shus

adjective

Definition

Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks

Memory hook

AUD-acious: You need AUDACITY to be this bold -- daring and fearless.

See more GRE words with mnemonics.

Word roots

audaxbold, daring(Latin)
audereto dare(Latin)

Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.

Examples

The audacious plan to climb the mountain in winter surprised everyone.
Her audacious business strategy paid off handsomely.

Test yourself

Fill in the blank with the right word:

The ______ plan to climb the mountain in winter surprised everyone.
Show answer

audacious

Synonyms

bolddaringintrepidbrazen

Antonyms

timidcautiousmeekcowardly

Categories

View all Courage words

GRE Tip

Audacious is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "bold" or "daring" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "timid".

Read: How to Memorize GRE Words That Actually Stick

Related GRE Words

Master audacious and 1,000+ GRE words

Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.