bodacious
adjective
Did you know?
Some of our readers may know bodacious as a word that figured prominently in the lingo of the 1989 film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Others may recall the term's frequent use in the long-running "Snuffy Smith" comic strip. Neither the creators of the comic strip nor the movie can claim to have coined bodacious, which began appearing in print during the 1800s, but both likely contributed to its popularity. The exact origin of the word is uncertain, but it was most likely influenced by bold and audacious, and it may be linked to boldacious, a term from British dialect meaning "brazen" or "impudent."
Synonyms
Examples of bodacious in a Sentence
Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2024
There’s no need to lug in a 6-foot specimen tree to add bodacious botanicals into your home, because even the smallest planters can make a big impact when intentionally pairing striking foliage with a unique vessel.
—Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024
New gravel might seem like a minor feature in a garden bursting with more than 3,000 luscious, bodacious roses of 139 varieties.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024
Sung by the bodacious character Sofia (the role Winfrey originated in 1985, now essayed by Orange Is the New Black actress Danielle Brooks), the song not only confronts male authority and domestic violence, but its repetitive chorus rejects traditional male–female companionship.
—Armond White, National Review, 3 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bodacious 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bodacious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Bodacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodacious. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
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