as in gall
shameless boldness
she had the temerity to ask me if she could borrow some money even though she never repaid the last loan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 temerity
Most of the smashing is done by Tamburlaine, a Scythian shepherd by birth, who rises to the peaks of power, lays waste to one kingdom after another, and has the temerity, at the climax of Part 1, not to die.
—
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
And when Hutch’s son gets into a fight at the arcade, drawing in a local adult who has the temerity to give Hutch’s daughter a shove, Hutch can’t help himself; he’s got to show these bullies who’s boss.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
That’s because every time a Chinese company has the temerity to succeed stateside, protectionist impulses within the political and administrative classes get to work on discrediting the company with charges of – yes – espionage.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
In this case, a jealous pope (President Trump) delights in humiliating an upstart bishop (Gov. DeSantis) for having the temerity to challenge his supremacy as Autocrat In Chief.
—Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for temerity
Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
And when Hutch’s son gets into a fight at the arcade, drawing in a local adult who has the temerity to give Hutch’s daughter a shove, Hutch can’t help himself; he’s got to show these bullies who’s boss.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
That’s because every time a Chinese company has the temerity to succeed stateside, protectionist impulses within the political and administrative classes get to work on discrediting the company with charges of – yes – espionage.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
In this case, a jealous pope (President Trump) delights in humiliating an upstart bishop (Gov. DeSantis) for having the temerity to challenge his supremacy as Autocrat In Chief.
—Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for temerity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temerity
Noun
-
The ability of the Broncos’ core four pass-rushers up front to win one-on-ones — Cooper, NFL sack leader Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, Franklin-Myers — and the secondary’s ability to win in man coverage on the back-end has given coordinator Vance Joseph the ingredients and the gall of a mad scientist.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The gall to say that I'm washed?—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As estrogen decreases during menopause, nerves in the hypothalamus — an almond-size region deep inside the brain whose functions include helping regulate the body’s thermostat — become hyperactive and produce an overabundance of chemical signals called neurokinins.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In these conditions, the gut’s nerves and the brain’s emotion-processing circuits are in unusually close communication.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Misconstrued by many as something akin to an extended Henny Youngman routine, Portnoy’s Complaint more closely resembled, according to Albert Goldman, the comedic world of adolescent Roth and his buddies, with its audacity, ferocity, originality, and sheer fecundity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
-
My goodness, was there a sale at the audacity store?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
This propensity for mental acrobatics, alongside his immense arrogance, was how Epstein rationalized his crimes to himself.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Using him comes across as arrogance.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Temerity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temerity. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share