bold
Americanadjective
-
bolder,
comparative
-
boldest
superlative
-
not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring.
a bold hero.
-
not hesitating to break the rules of propriety; forward; impudent.
He apologized for being so bold as to speak to the emperor.
- Antonyms:
- modest
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necessitating courage and daring; challenging.
a bold adventure.
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beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative.
Einstein was a bold mathematician.
a difficult problem needing a bold answer.
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striking or conspicuous to the eye; flashy; showy.
a bold pattern.
-
a bold promontory.
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Nautical. deep enough to be navigable close to the shore.
bold waters.
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Printing. typeset in boldface.
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Obsolete. trusting; assured.
idioms
adjective
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courageous, confident, and fearless; ready to take risks
-
showing or requiring courage
a bold plan
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immodest or impudent
she gave him a bold look
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standing out distinctly; conspicuous
a figure carved in bold relief
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very steep
the bold face of the cliff
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imaginative in thought or expression
the novel's bold plot
-
printing set in bold face
noun
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of bold
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”
Explanation
Someone who's bold is daring and brave. You might show how bold you are by climbing onto the roof of your house, or by speaking up when you see someone being treated unfairly. When you act in a bold way, you're taking some kind of risk; you could be risking physical danger, embarrassment, or your reputation. Whatever bold actions you take, they are confident and fearless. The adjective bold can also be used to describe a particular typeface that is thick, dark, and confident. Bold type is usually used to emphasize something strongly in writing.
Vocabulary lists containing bold
Language and Grammar - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“It Ends,” the bold and breathtaking feature debut from writer-director Alexander Ullom, travels a similar trajectory, both in the context of the film itself and its intrepid journey to the big screen.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
A year ago, Crocs executives warned that bold moves including cutting promotions and cleaning up inventory to protect its flagship line and HeyDude were expected to drag on near-term sales.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
"It's not because of any policy disagreements. I'm a massive fan of the focus on devolution and I hope Andy and his team will be bold on this and everything else."
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Instagram did something bold and brave this week: It unveiled a new wordmark for the first time, stepping away from its signature cursive to a new and strange part-modern, part-script font.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
The one with the loose ponytail and the bold stare.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
"If inflation remains elevated, in my view, a potential series of small policy moves would be better than waiting and eventually concluding that even bolder actions were necessary," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
"I have become bolder as I have become older," he added.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Decades of information-based efforts have failed to improve eating habits, requiring bolder action on several fronts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
I order cured tuna two ways – mojama, salt-cured and firm like jamón, and atún ahumado, smoked, like lox but bolder.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
Each year the children had grown older, bolder, louder; but Clare had never thought they would trespass into his beloved Deadwood.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
“Lanterns,” which unfolds across two timelines, is the boldest entry so far in James Gunn’s remade DC Universe.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Then, there is the new prime minister's boldest claim of all – that he will be "bringing forward the biggest changes in the last 40 years".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
With the Rams, Kroenke had the conviction to stick with general manager Les Snead through lean seasons before they landed on one of the boldest hires the game had ever seen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
IonQ: This is the largest publicly traded pure play by market capitalization—and one of the boldest.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
It was a combination of his relentless stamina, survival skills, and mathematical mind that made him the perfect candidate to join one of Brazil’s boldest and most brutal projects—building the telegraph network.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
