Words / C2

BRAYZN/ˈbreɪzn/

Brazen means openly shameless: a brazen lie, brazen it out (idiom: face it without shame). Shameless is everyday; audacious (this batch) can be brave rather than shameless. Bronze is the metal — a lookalike. Do not call an honest correction brazen.

Meaning

Open and shameless, without embarrassment.

Examples

• “A brazen rewrite of the n in the abstract did not survive the appendix.”
• “A brazen rewrite of the n in the abstract died when the appendix was opened.”
• “Shameless is everyday. Brazen it out is the idiom. Audacious can be daring without the smear. Bronze is metal. An erratum is the opposite of brazen.”

Good to know

Shamelessly bold. Everyday: shameless. Idiom: brazen it out. Cousin: audacious (daring). Mix-up: bronze. An honest correction is not brazen.

Near in meaning

shameless

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