Temerity

WORD OF THE DAY

temerity / noun / tuh-MAIR-uh-tee

Definition
1a: unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition
1b: rashness, recklessness
2: a rash or reckless act

Examples
"As Jackson sauntered during the ensuing break in play, his chin up defiantly and jaw clenched, James did a double-take at the apparent temerity, his next-play focus transforming into disapproval."
— Houston Mitchell, The Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2022

He defeated giant corporations—the auto industry, big pharma—back when no one else was even trying to; he had the temerity to believe that fighting for safety and quality and transparency was a quintessentially American thing to do.
—  Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Feb. 2007

Did You Know?
When you’re feeling saucy, there’s no shortage of words in the English language you can use to describe the particular flavor of your metaphorical sauce, from audacity and effrontery to the Yiddish-derived fan favorite chutzpah.
If we may be so bold, let us also suggest temerity: it comes from the Latin temere, meaning “recklessly” or “haphazardly,” and is good for suggesting boldness even in the face of danger or likely punishment.
Temerity is a formal word, rarely used in casual writing or conversation, but provided you have the cheek to flout this convention, you may be thinking “what have I got to lose?”
When it comes to flagrant boldness, temerity, audacity, hardihood, and effrontery have the cheek to get your meaning across.
Of those synonyms, temerity suggests boldness arising from contempt of danger, while audacity implies a disregard of the restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.
Hardihood implies firmness in daring and defiance, and effrontery suggests a shameless disregard of propriety and courtesy.
If you're looking for a more informal term for a brash attitude, you might consider nerve, cheek, gall, or chutzpah.