Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for "daring"
  • present participle of dare.
Synonyms

daring

American  
[dair-ing] / ˈdɛər ɪŋ /

noun

  1. adventurous courage; boldness.

    Synonyms:
    bravery, audacity
    Antonyms:
    caution

adjective

  1. bold or courageous; fearless or intrepid; adventurous.

    Synonyms:
    brave, audacious, venturesome, undaunted, dauntless
daring British  
/ ˈdɛərɪŋ /

adjective

  1. bold or adventurous; reckless

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. courage in taking risks; boldness

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of daring

First recorded in 1575–85; dare + -ing 1, -ing 2

Explanation

To be daring is to be bold, adventurous, and a little nervy. It’s a quality possessed by people who tend to take risks. If someone says, “I dare you,” and you always do, you’re a daring person. If you're daring, you dare to do things that are risky and even dangerous. A daring mountain climber goes for the top of Mount Everest, and a daring policeman enters the scariest houses to catch a crook. In comics and movies, superheroes are daring. Even quitting your job to start your own business is daring. The seafarers who first traveled across the globe were daring. Daring people are brave, and daring adventures are pretty exciting.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing daring

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 was about a man sharing a London flat with two single women - quite a daring storyline for that era.

From BBC Sep. 4, 2026

The French president has been instrumental over recent years in championing the daring gambit to loan the 950-year-old tapestry to the British Museum, which is putting it on display until next July.

From Barron's Sep. 2, 2026

By far, the most daring approach has been Jake Braun’s.

From Slate Aug. 19, 2026

The daring leap to Prespa meant having to start from scratch, find housing in the village of Agios Germanos and a means of earning a living.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 14, 2026

“More,” Gia replied, not daring to look away.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training