How to pronounce audacious
Say it like aw-DAY-shus. Audacious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce audacious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- aw
- DAY
- shus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Audacious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- awKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- DAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- shusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of audacious
American and British speakers say audacious in essentially the same way: /ɔˈdeɪʃəs/ in the US and /ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/ in the UK.
British respelling: aw-DAY-shus.
What does audacious mean?
- Showing willingness to take bold risks; recklessly daring.
- Impudent, insolent.
Where does audacious come from?
From Latin audacia (“boldness”) + -ious, from audax (“bold”), from audeō (“to be bold, to dare”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with audacious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of audacious.
Questions about saying audacious
How do you pronounce audacious?
Say aw-DAY-shus. The American pronunciation is /ɔˈdeɪʃəs/. In British English it is /ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in audacious?
Audacious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (DAY). Broken into parts: aw · DAY · shus.
Do Americans and Brits say audacious the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɔˈdeɪʃəs/ and the British form is /ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.