Audacity to attempt

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Audacity to attempt" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the boldness or courage someone has to try something challenging or difficult. Example: "She had the audacity to attempt the climb despite the harsh weather conditions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

She quotes Edison as saying about her father: "I would like to meet the young man who had the monumental audacity to attempt and succeed in jumping an electrical wave across the Atlantic". Marconi died in Rome in 1937.

The New York Times

Who has the audacity to attempt a deception that big, that bold, that obvious?

Huffington Post

Are House members under the threat of death, if they have the audacity to attempt to read, worship in their native religion, or speak in their native dialect?

Huffington Post

And the fact that Zimmerman has the audacity to attempt such a sale is a reminder that he enjoys privileges that were at least, according to the courts taken from Martin lawfully.

Vice

It is a sign of the times that Morales would have the audacity to attempt to raise capital in this manner, with the complicity of three Wall Street titans.

HuffPost

I would never have the audacity to attempt to speak for Dr. King, but I think he would challenge us by saying something like, "you have achieved much but you only focused on half of my message".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

After Jay Bruce lifted a high pop fly behind the second baseman, Hamilton did something that few current players would have the audacity to even attempt.

Huffington Post

Kucherov has the audacity and the ability to pull off moves few other players would dare to attempt.

The New York Times - Sports

Indeed, the audacity of BAT's campaign on the external tariff issue is attested to by the fact that it continued to press CACM governments to attempt further renegotiation of these GATT 'ceilings'ceilings

Globalization and Health

Many have criticized Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's audacity for attempting to circumvent the normal election process and survive in office past the established term limits.

The New York Times

But it was probably the sheer audacity of attempting to land Rosetta's tiny robotic probe, Philae, on an irregular lump of dust, ice and rock 405m kilometres (252m miles) from Earth, that won the world over two years ago.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "audacity to attempt" when you want to emphasize not only the act of trying but also the boldness or perhaps even recklessness involved in undertaking something challenging or unconventional.

Common error

While "audacity to attempt" can add emphasis, be mindful of its slightly informal tone. In highly formal or professional writing, consider alternatives like "courage to undertake" or "resolve to pursue" for a more polished and appropriate tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "audacity to attempt" functions as a noun phrase followed by an infinitive, acting as a subject complement or object of a verb. It highlights the quality of boldness or daring associated with the act of attempting something, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "audacity to attempt" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase that signifies the boldness or daring involved in trying something challenging. According to Ludwig, it functions as a noun phrase followed by an infinitive, emphasizing not just the attempt itself but the courage required. While generally neutral in tone, it's more common in news and media contexts. Be mindful of its slightly informal tone in highly formal writing, where alternatives like "courage to undertake" may be more appropriate. Several phrases can replace it, such as "boldness to try", "courage to undertake", and "daring to endeavor".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Boldness to try

Replaces "audacity" with "boldness", emphasizing confidence and daring.

Courage to undertake

Substitutes "audacity" with "courage", highlighting bravery and resolve.

Daring to endeavor

Uses "daring" instead of "audacity" and "endeavor" instead of "attempt", suggesting a spirited and ambitious approach.

Presumption to try

Replaces "audacity" with "presumption", suggesting a bold or even arrogant approach.

Temerity to venture

Substitutes "audacity" with "temerity" and "attempt" with "venture", implying a reckless or audacious risk.

Nerve to tackle

Uses "nerve" instead of "audacity" and "tackle" instead of "attempt", highlighting courage and directness.

Effrontery to begin

Replaces "audacity" with "effrontery", suggesting shameless boldness, and "attempt" with "begin".

Gall to undertake

Substitutes "audacity" with "gall", implying impudence or audacity, and "attempt" with "undertake".

The sheer nerve to try

Emphasizes the surprising level of courage or impudence involved.

The unmitigated gall to begin

Highlights the boldness and impudence involved, emphasizing the lack of justification.

FAQs

What does "audacity to attempt" mean?

The phrase "audacity to attempt" refers to the boldness or daring one possesses when trying something difficult, risky, or unconventional. It highlights not just the attempt itself, but the courage required to undertake it.

When is it appropriate to use "audacity to attempt"?

Use "audacity to attempt" when you want to emphasize the boldness, courage, or even recklessness involved in undertaking something challenging or unconventional. It's suitable in contexts where the attempt goes beyond mere effort and requires a significant degree of daring.

What can I say instead of "audacity to attempt"?

You can use alternatives like "boldness to try", "courage to undertake", or "daring to endeavor" depending on the context.

Is "audacity to attempt" grammatically correct?

Yes, "audacity to attempt" is grammatically correct. It uses "audacity" as a noun followed by the infinitive "to attempt", creating a phrase that highlights the daring nature of the attempt. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.