brazen

1 of 2

adjective

bra·​zen ˈbrā-zᵊn How to pronounce brazen (audio)
1
: made of brass
drinking from brazen cups
2
a
: sounding harsh and loud like struck brass
the horrible brazen voice of the fire bellElmer Davis
b
: of the color of polished brass
3
: marked by shameless or disrespectful boldness
a brazen disregard for the rules
brazenly adverb
brazenness noun

brazen

2 of 2

verb

brazened; brazening
ˈbrāz-niŋ,
ˈbrā-zᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce brazen (audio)

transitive verb

: to face with defiance or impudence
usually used in the phrase brazen it out

Examples of brazen in a Sentence

Adjective He exhibited a brazen disregard for other people's feelings. a brazen demand for special treatment just because she's rich Verb a filmmaker willing to brazen the criticism that such a violent film was sure to provoke
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
In Biden’s tenure, U.S. adversaries have grown increasingly brazen in their provocations and ramped up cooperation with each other. Kori Schake, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024 The rise of brazen, unlicensed marijuana sellers is a relatively new phenomenon, probably driven in part by growing public acceptance of marijuana and the relatively easy access to pot being cultivated for legal sale in dozens of states. Lavanya Ramanathan, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024 Lyle and Erik Menendez’s bold, brazen actions both before and after their life sentences kept the media fixated. Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 Garcia lamented the fact that the fast-food establishment’s name has become attached to the notorious alley that runs behind restaurant property and draws a shockingly brazen level of drug activity day and night. Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brazen 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Verb

Middle English brasen, from Old English bræsen, from bræs brass

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brazen was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near brazen

Cite this Entry

“Brazen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brazen. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brazen

1 of 2 adjective
bra·​zen ˈbrāz-ᵊn How to pronounce brazen (audio)
1
: made of brass
2
: sounding harsh and loud like struck brass
3
: not ashamed of or embarrassed by one's bad behavior : impudent
4
: of the color of polished brass
brazenly adverb
brazenness noun

brazen

2 of 2 verb
brazened; brazening ˈbrāz-niŋ How to pronounce brazen (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to face boldly or defiantly
an enemy who'd rather brazen it out than surrender

More from Merriam-Webster on brazen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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