chutzpah

variants also chutzpa or hutzpah or hutzpa
Definition of chutzpahnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word chutzpah different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of chutzpah are audacity, cheek, effrontery, gall, hardihood, nerve, and temerity. While all these words mean "conspicuous or flagrant boldness," nerve, cheek, gall, and chutzpah are informal equivalents for effrontery.

the nerve of that guy
has the cheek to call herself a singer
had the gall to demand proof
the chutzpah needed for a career in show business

When is audacity a more appropriate choice than chutzpah?

In some situations, the words audacity and chutzpah are roughly equivalent. However, audacity implies a disregard of restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence.

an entrepreneur with audacity and vision

When can effrontery be used instead of chutzpah?

The meanings of effrontery and chutzpah largely overlap; however, effrontery implies shameless, insolent disregard of propriety or courtesy.

outraged at his effrontery

Where would hardihood be a reasonable alternative to chutzpah?

The words hardihood and chutzpah are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hardihood suggests firmness in daring and defiance.

admired for her hardihood

When could temerity be used to replace chutzpah?

Although the words temerity and chutzpah have much in common, temerity suggests boldness arising from rashness and contempt of danger.

had the temerity to refuse

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of chutzpah As a 20-year-old, Taylor Barnard raced with chutzpah and still blooming talent in getting two poles and five podium finishes for Neom McLaren. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026 Instead, tomorrow’s companies need critical thinkers with chutzpah to make higher-level decisions. Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026 Marty’s chutzpah is justified by history; the character is loosely based on the table-tennis hustler and champion Marty Reisman, who died in 2012, at the age of eighty-two. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025 From his first moments onscreen in a performance of Duracell Bunny physicality and motormouth pushiness, Chalamet conveys the sense of a shameless young man willing himself toward greatness with a combination of chutzpah, amorality and unshakeable self-belief. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 1 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chutzpah
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chutzpah
Noun
  • Possible diseases include powdery mildew, blight, crown rot, leaf gall, root rot, leaf spot, and rust.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Imagine having the gall to besmirch the name of a young mother killed for trying to speak up for her neighbors or of an ICU nurse shot in the back for trying to tend to a woman who had been pepper-sprayed in the face.
    Sasha Abramsky, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In the fullness of time, Nancy had a Nest camera installed—one of those all-seeing eyes meant to guard the property and calm anxious nerves and provide real safety from intrusion.
    Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
  • If not treated early, the infection can progress to more serious symptoms, such as joint swelling and arthritis, nerve pain, tingling or numbness, facial muscle weakness, heart inflammation and difficulties with memory or concentration.
    Emily Bache, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Money and jealousy are the root of the play’s evils, with more deadly sins released in a world of posh, uppity arrogance.
    David John Chávez, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • In a study with 355 participants, the authors narrowed their list to 16 warning signs that predicted violence that occurred within six months — many of them having to do with entitlement, arrogance, control and emotional immaturity.
    Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Not four years ago, Crocker remembers walking into the Superdome for the 2022 Final Four, in awe of the audacity of the event.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Moreover, currently sitting at 85 percent on the Tomatometer, reviews for The Drama have been generally good with some critics praising director Kristoffer Borgli’s audacity and the movie’s deliberate provocations as a means of addressing the messy current cultural moment.
    Chris Lee, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Chutzpah.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chutzpah. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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