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Synonym Chooser

How is the word hardihood different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of hardihood are audacity, cheek, chutzpah, effrontery, gall, nerve, and temerity. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

When is audacity a more appropriate choice than hardihood?

The words audacity and hardihood are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

When might effrontery be a better fit than hardihood?

The words effrontery and hardihood can be used in similar contexts, but effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

How does the word nerve relate to other synonyms for hardihood?

Nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

the nerve of that guy
has the cheek to call herself a singer
had the gall to demand proof
the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

Where would temerity be a reasonable alternative to hardihood?

In some situations, the words temerity and hardihood are roughly equivalent. However, temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hardihood My father had been a leading Mountaineer and would still maintain the general superiority in skill and hardihood of the Above Boys (his own faction) over the Below Boys (so were they called), of which party his contemporary had been a chieftain. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022 There is little question that Reagan, for all his physical hardihood and strength of will, was no longer up to the task of serving a third term beginning in 1989. Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 18 Sep. 2020 And yet Andrew Johnson, with unblushing hardihood, undertook to rule them by his own power alone. Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hardihood
Noun
  • Anthony Bourdain was an exception who brought real vigor and energy to the genre.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
  • By the beginning of the 1990s, studios like Pixar, Aardman, and Blue Sky revitalized animation in the English-speaking world and brought a vigor to the art form that led to the formation of the Best Animated Feature category.
    Jeremy Fassler, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, is all about new beginnings, courage and fresh starts.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Zegler’s Snow White is a princess who not only finds true love but also the courage to be the type of leader that her late father taught her to be.
    Jessica Wang, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Silver was the real business of Tombstone, and the focus of its energies and attention.
    Richard Grant, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Thune also often praises wind energy—a booming industry in his home state—even though Trump considers turbines loathsome eyesores.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • That his record is treated as honorable, rather than hushed up and relegated to the trash bin of history, is a sour commentary on heroism and distinction in modern America.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
  • President Barack Obama later honored him for his heroism.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Mixed in with small pleasures and petty disputes with her older sister are true feats of survival and bravery.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The show’s bravery in exploring mature topics, like infertility, has also moved parents.
    Leena Tailor, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Queen Victoria created the unit in 1900 after an adviser suggested that the Irish regiments should wear shamrocks on their headdress every St. Patrick's Day as a nod to the crown's appreciation for their gallantry during the Boer War, the British Army said.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • He was deployed to Italy, where his conspicuous gallantry in combat earned him the Military Cross.
    Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Jan. 2020

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Cite this Entry

“Hardihood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hardihood. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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