bold
Americanadjective
-
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
-
necessitating courage and daring; challenging.
a bold adventure.
-
beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative.
Einstein was a bold mathematician.
a difficult problem needing a bold answer.
-
striking or conspicuous to the eye; flashy; showy.
a bold pattern.
-
a bold promontory.
-
Nautical. deep enough to be navigable close to the shore.
bold waters.
-
Printing. typeset in boldface.
-
Obsolete. trusting; assured.
idioms
adjective
-
courageous, confident, and fearless; ready to take risks
-
showing or requiring courage
a bold plan
-
immodest or impudent
she gave him a bold look
-
standing out distinctly; conspicuous
a figure carved in bold relief
-
very steep
the bold face of the cliff
-
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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Beowulf vocabulary
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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:
Streeting said he embarked on a "bold programme of reform and modernisation" during his time as health secretary to ensure "that we were maximising value for money and cutting waste".
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Meanwhile, proponents of AI say that it can help entertainment companies save money in areas such as visual effects and test bold ideas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
“Everywhere you turn, there’s a flourish, a nuance, a detail. There’s a bold statement that makes you sit and contemplate.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
“We’re transforming a bold vision into reality,” Altman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Not a man of them, sir, would be bold enough to try it on, for love or money.”
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
Deputy Labour Party leader Lucy Powell said Sunday Burnham's mayoral experience away from the London centre of government meant he understood the "bigger, bolder measures" needed to deliver on Labour's election manifesto promises.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
We need bolder action on several fronts, such as new types of health professionals that make nutrition their No. 1 priority and more effective dietary interventions, among other things.
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
There are also concerns about a bolder Iran.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
One of them, bolder than the others, came close to sniff her.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
“Over the past eight years, we built great things for the people of California — some of the boldest actions any government in this country has taken in a generation,” Newsom said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
IonQ: This is the largest publicly traded pure play by market capitalization—and one of the boldest.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
And so Abby Johnson, often labeled as indecisive and overly cautious, took the boldest step in her professional life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Earlier this week, he released Still Alive - a YouTube stand‑up special that reviewers have described as his boldest and most personal work yet.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
“King Morgant of Madoc,” answered the bard, “the boldest war leader in Prydain, second only to Gwydion himself. He owes allegiance to the House of Don.”
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
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.
