bold

[ bohld ]

adjective

, bold·er, bold·est.

1. not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring:

   a bold hero.

   Synonyms: dauntless, valorous, intrepid, valiant, brave, adventurous, fearless

2. not hesitating to break the rules of propriety; forward; impudent:

   He apologized for being so bold as to speak to the emperor.

   Antonyms: modest

3. necessitating courage and daring; challenging:

   a bold adventure.

4. beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative:

   Einstein was a bold mathematician.

   a difficult problem needing a bold answer.

5. striking or conspicuous to the eye; flashy; showy:

   a bold pattern.

6. steep; abrupt:

   a bold promontory.

7. Nautical. deep enough to be navigable close to the shore:

   bold waters.

8. Printing. typeset in boldface.
9. Obsolete. trusting; assured.

bold

/ bəʊld /

adjective

1. courageous, confident, and fearless; ready to take risks
2. showing or requiring courage

   a bold plan

3. immodest or impudent

   she gave him a bold look

4. standing out distinctly; conspicuous

   a figure carved in bold relief

5. very steep

   the bold face of the cliff

6. imaginative in thought or expression

   the novel's bold plot

7. printing set in bold face

noun

1. printing short for bold face

Derived Forms

• ˈboldness, noun
• ˈboldly, adverb

Other Words From

• bold·ly adverb
• bold·ness noun
• o·ver·bold adjective
• su·per·bold adjective
• un·bold adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bold¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bald, bold, Old English b(e)ald; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German bald, Dutch boud “bold,” Old Norse ballr “dire,” from unattested Germanic bálthaz; akin to Welsh balch “proud,” Irish balc “strong”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bold¹

Old English beald ; related to Old Norse ballr dangerous, terrible, baldinn defiant, Old High German bald bold

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. be / make (so) bold, to presume or venture; dare:

   I made bold to offer my suggestion.

More idioms and phrases containing bold

In addition to the idiom beginning with bold , also see big and bold ; make bold .

Synonym Study

Bold, brazen, forward, presumptuous may refer to manners in a derogatory way. Bold suggests impudence, shamelessness, and immodesty: a bold stare. Brazen suggests the same, together with a defiant manner: a brazen liar. Forward implies making oneself unduly prominent or bringing oneself to notice with too much assurance. Presumptuous implies overconfidence, effrontery, taking too much for granted.

Example Sentences

Reporters in the fuller-than-normal news conference — attendance that signaled an upcoming marquee “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Baltimore Ravens — raised eyebrows at the bold statement.

From Los Angeles Times

Above all, she or he would own the flag and be very confident and bold in how they present themselves and live.

From Salon

The lone cable outlet set to remain within NBCUniversal is Bravo, which has a bold brand, cultural cachet and the “Real Housewives” franchises.

From Los Angeles Times

Just be sure to leave a little room in your budget for magic; a bold flower you might have missed the first time can make your arrangement pop.

From Los Angeles Times

But if you listen to the score, right from the opening moments composer Umberto Smerilli makes a bold declaration about what kind of movie it is: nervy, tempestuous, winking and just a little bit melodramatic.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• clear
• colorful
• definite
• eye-catching
• flashy
• forceful
• lively
• loud
• spirited
• strong
• vivid