bold

[bohld]

adjective

bolder, boldest 

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

Other Word Forms

• boldness noun
• boldly adverb
• overbold adjective
• superbold adjective
• unbold 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

• 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

This means encouraging AI to make bets that are a little bold and a little unusual, but still grounded in what it knows about us.

From Salon

"The lyrics feel bold and refreshing, and there's something very satisfying about the message it holds."

From BBC

Take, as another example, the new teen safety standards introduced on Facebook and Instagram that Meta has tried framing as bold and proactive.

From Salon

Venable treats even his most culpable characters as human beings — perhaps the play’s boldest move in an age of moral absolutes.

From Los Angeles Times

Turning the tide on math performance will require bold goals and strong investments from states and strong public support, Lake said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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