Bodacious
adj.energetic, joyfulplayful
What it means
Strikingly excellent, impressive, or boldly appealing.
Reach for it when giving exuberant slang praise to something with force or flair
The band closed with a bodacious brass arrangement.
Choose between these
6- playful
current informal enthusiasm is the desired voice
not when Awesome is common enough to feel empty and may overstate ordinary quality.
- playful
outrageous
deliberate excess creates delighted surprise
not when Outrageous can mean offensive or unacceptable.
- everyday
the subject earns admiration without slang
not when Impressive is cooler and leaves the exuberant appeal unstated.
- professional
confident scale or style is the exact strength
not when Bold alone leaves the result's success unproved.
- professional
strong praise should remain suitable for any audience
not when Excellent lacks bodacious's slang energy and boldness.
- formal
power and ability command serious respect
not when Formidable feels severe and lacks bodacious's fun.
Said against
3- lame
- mediocre
- unimpressive
It naturally appears in
3- bodacious style
Her bodacious style paired sharp tailoring with handmade color.
- bodacious performance
A bodacious performance brought the quiet matinee to its feet.
- bodacious flavor
The stew has a bodacious flavor without overwhelming the vegetables.
Where this comes from
Bodacious is emphatic American slang. It is unsuitable for formal evaluation and can sound deliberately retro.
- Wiktionary, English adjective slang sense: excellent or remarkable opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.