Definition

The quality of being bold and daring, often showing courage or audacity, sometimes to the point of being disrespectful.

Example

His hardihood in challenging the authority impressed everyone around him.

Conversation

Did you see how he tackled that challenge head-on?

Yeah, it took a lot of hardihood to do that!

I admire his hardihood; it's inspiring.

Definitely! We could all use a bit more of that courage sometimes.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Hardihood → The word is formed from "hardy" (from Old French *hardi*, meaning bold or brave) and "-hood" (a suffix denoting a state or condition). Thus, hardihood refers to the state of being bold or brave.

Memory Tip

Think of 'hardy' meaning bold or brave, and '-hood' indicating a state. This helps you remember that hardihood means the state of being bold.

Visually Confused Words