Bodacious
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.
Words to choose between 6
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional | |
| formal |
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playful
Fits when current informal enthusiasm is the desired voice
Careful Awesome is common enough to feel empty and may overstate ordinary quality.
-
playful
outrageous
Fits when deliberate excess creates delighted surprise
Careful Outrageous can mean offensive or unacceptable.
-
everyday
Fits when the subject earns admiration without slang
Careful Impressive is cooler and leaves the exuberant appeal unstated.
-
professional
Fits when confident scale or style is the exact strength
Careful Bold alone leaves the result's success unproved.
-
professional
Fits when strong praise should remain suitable for any audience
Careful Excellent lacks bodacious's slang energy and boldness.
-
formal
Fits when power and ability command serious respect
Careful Formidable feels severe and lacks bodacious's fun.
Opposites 3
- lame
- mediocre
- unimpressive
Common phrases 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.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Bodacious is emphatic American slang. It is unsuitable for formal evaluation and can sound deliberately retro.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Commander Keane, Australian accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated