What does "brash" mean?
A rash or eruption; a sudden or transient fit of sickness.
Brash
/bɹæʃ/ adj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A rash or eruption; a sudden or transient fit of sickness.
- Grammar: brash is listed as adj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abrupt, adventurous, aggressive, arrogant.
- Useful contrasts: cautious, deliberate, demure.
- Usage evidence: Hector's uncommonly brash and outspoken today. He's usually deathly quiet.
How to use "brash"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "brash" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "brash" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "brash" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "brash" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "brash" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abrupt" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "brash", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A rash or eruption; a sudden or transient fit of sickness. countable, uncountable
- 2 Leaf litter of small leaves and little twigs as found under a hedge. countable, uncountable
- 3 A sudden burst of rain. countable, uncountable
- 4 Broken and angular rock fragments underlying alluvial deposits. countable, uncountable
"Alluvium differs from the rubble or brash, just described, as being composed of sand and gravel, more or less rolled"
- 5 An attack or assault. countable, obsolete, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Broken fragments of ice. countable, uncountable
"The sea dashed in an angry surf over its inclined sides, rattling the icy fragments or “brash” against its irregular surface"
Verb
- 1 To disturb. obsolete, transitive
Adjective
- 1 Overly bold or self-assertive to the point of being insensitive, tactless or impudent; shameless.
"a brash young businessman; a brash tabloid; a brash sense of humour"
- 2 Brittle (said e.g. of wood or vegetables). US, colloquial, dated
"Hickory axles […] all cut from tough butt logs. Brash timber is excluded."
- 3 Overly bold, impetuous or rash.
"[…] just because you’re a little hot under the collar, don’t do anything brash, for fear you may regret it afterward."
- 4 Bold, bright or showy, often in a tasteless way.
"brash colours"
Adjective
- 1 offensively bold wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"Hector's uncommonly brash and outspoken today. He's usually deathly quiet."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "brash"?
Common synonyms include: abrupt, adventurous, aggressive, arrogant, audacious, audacious.
How do you use "brash" in a sentence?
Hector's uncommonly brash and outspoken today. He's usually deathly quiet.
How do you pronounce "brash"?
Pronounced /bɹæʃ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Uncertain. Perhaps from Scots brash, brasch (“a violent onset; an attack or assault”). Perhaps also related to Dutch bars (“stern; strict”), German barsch (“harsh; unfriendly”), Danish barsk (“harsh; rough; tough”), Swedish barsk (“harsh; impetuous”).
Etymology 2
Compare American English bresk, brusk (“fragile, brittle”).
Etymology 3
Two main origins: * Scottish surname; probably from brash, a nickname for an impetuous person. * Americanized spelling of German Braasch.