brash

1 of 2

adjective

ˈbrash 

1

: brittle

brash wood

2

a

: heedless of the consequences : audacious

a brash adventurer

b

: done in haste without regard for consequences : rash

brash acts

3

a

: full of fresh raw vitality

a brash frontier town

b

: uninhibitedly energetic or demonstrative (see demonstrative entry 1 sense 3) : bumptious

a brash comedian

4

a

: lacking restraint and discernment : tactless

brash remarks

b

: aggressively self-assertive : impudent

brash to the point of arrogance

5

: piercingly sharp : harsh

a brash squeal of brakes

6

: marked by vivid contrast : bold

brash colors

brashly adverb

brashness noun

brash

2 of 2

noun

: a mass of fragments (as of ice)

Synonyms

Adjective

• arch
• audacious
• bold
• bold-faced
• brassbound
• brassy
• brazen
• brazen-faced
• cheeky
• cocksure
• cocky
• fresh
• impertinent
• impudent
• insolent
• nervy
• sassy
• saucy
• wise

Examples of brash in a Sentence

Adjective

She asks such brash questions.

a brash request to get something for free

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The victim, who was in her late 50s, then helped push the brash young fraudster onto a new path. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024

Both descriptions are consistent with Grossman’s reputation as a brash, savvy negotiator. —Gabe Cohn, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2024

Noun

The brash ’80s, referenced by Piccioli at Valentino and Alexandre Vauthier, who paid homage to the elegance of Grace Jones , felt more immediate and relevant. —Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2023

But in part because of his previous reputation as a dove, Mr. Kishida has so far pushed the envelope further while encountering less resistance than Abe’s sometimes brash approaches. —Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 28 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

origin unknown

Noun

obsolete English brash to breach a wall

First Known Use

Adjective

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1787, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

brash

adjective

ˈbrash

1

: reckless, rash

a brash attack

2

: rudely bold : impudent

a brash youth

3

: marked by vivid contrast

brash colors

brashly adverb

brashness noun

Medical Definition

brash

noun

ˈbrash 

1

: an attack of illness

especially : a short severe illness

2

: water brash