emboldened

American  

[em-bohl-dnd] / ɛmˈboʊl dnd /

Rarely imboldened

adjective

1. made bold or bolder; given the courage or nerve to do something daring, challenging, or controversial.

   It was unclear whether the missile fire was the work of an emboldened rebel force, the military, or some mixture of both.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of embolden.

Etymology

Origin of emboldened

embolden ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Perhaps emboldened by Pyongyang's new closeness to Russia, Trump's comment in October that he was "100 percent" open to meeting Kim again went unanswered.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

But this time, many of the most prominent conservative commentators felt emboldened enough to openly criticize the administration’s actions.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

A Church of Ireland minister has said she hopes churches "feel emboldened to counteract racism whenever they see it".

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

After catching the attention of a producer in Chengdu, the provincial capital, Mr. Hu was soon emboldened to move to Chengdu, where he has since built a successful career as a rap artist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Afterward, I saw Bradley Cooper and felt emboldened to walk right up and say hello.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

Related Words

• buoyant
• cheerful
• comfortable
• confident
• eager
• enthusiastic
• rosy
• sanguine
• trusting
• upbeat