chutzpa
Shameless bold confidence
Chutzpa is audacious nerve or brazen gall—the quality of someone who acts boldly despite having no right to.
From Yiddish, it carries a mix of disapproval and grudging admiration: It takes real chutzpa to ask for a raise after showing up late every day.
The classic illustration is the man who kills his parents, then begs the court for mercy because he's an orphan.
Also spelled chutzpah.
Signal-carrying body fiber
- gallImpudent boldness or bitterness
- boldnessFearless readiness to act
- brazennessShameless, defiant boldness
- impudenceShameless boldness toward superiors
effrontery · temerity · cheek · brass · moxie · daring · presumption · insolence
Self-assurance or trust
- self-assuranceConfidence in one's abilities
- entrepreneurialInclined to launch ventures
- startupNew business enterprise
- hustleEnergetic, aggressive action
ambition · assertiveness · go-getter · self-made · trailblazer · maverick · disruptor · risk-taker
Ashkenazi Jewish language
- JewishOf a Semitic people
- meshugaYiddish for insane
- menschPerson of noble character
- schlepAwkward, effortful journey
kibitz · schmooze · shtick · kvetch · mazel · nu · schtick · shtetl
Lacking moral embarrassment
- unashamedLacking guilt or remorse
- outrageousShockingly bad or excessive
- audaciousRecklessly or disrespectfully fearless
- provocativeMeant to provoke response
defiant · rule-breaking · taboo · scandalous · irreverent · iconoclastic · boundary-pushing · unrepentant
nerve
Signal-carrying body fiber
- gallImpudent boldness or bitterness
- boldnessFearless readiness to act
- brazennessShameless, defiant boldness
impudence · effrontery · temerity · cheek · brass · moxie · daring · presumption · insolence · shamelessness
confidence
Self-assurance or trust
- self-assuranceConfidence in one's abilities
- entrepreneurialInclined to launch ventures
- startupNew business enterprise
hustle · ambition · assertiveness · go-getter · self-made · trailblazer · maverick · disruptor · risk-taker · pioneer
Yiddish
Ashkenazi Jewish language
schlep · kibitz · schmooze · shtick · kvetch · mazel · nu · schtick · shtetl · diaspora
shameless
Lacking moral embarrassment
- unashamedLacking guilt or remorse
- outrageousShockingly bad or excessive
- audaciousRecklessly or disrespectfully fearless
provocative · defiant · rule-breaking · taboo · scandalous · irreverent · iconoclastic · boundary-pushing · unrepentant · unapologetic
chutzpatimidity
Fearful lack of courage
cowardice · meekness · diffidence · weakness · pusillanimity
chutzpahumility
Freedom from arrogance
modesty · shame · deference · self-effacement · self-consciousness