bravura
Americannoun
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Music. a florid passage or piece requiring great skill and spirit in the performer.
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a display of daring; brilliant performance.
adjective
noun
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a display of boldness or daring
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music
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brilliance of execution
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( as modifier )
a bravura passage
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Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bravura
First recorded in 1780–90; from Italian: literally, “spirit, dash”; see brave, -ure
Explanation
When a dancer spins flawlessly through an incredibly challenging routine, their performance is pure bravura, showcasing dazzling skill and bold confidence. Bravura is a noun that refers to a show of exceptional talent or daring, often in the arts. The term comes from Italian, meaning "bravery" or "spirit." It's commonly used to describe performances in music, theater, or dance that are not only technically impressive but also delivered with extraordinary confidence and style. Bravura can also apply to any act or feat that is executed with exceptional skill and daring, making it a celebration of human talent and boldness.
Vocabulary lists containing bravura
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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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.
Michele, demonstrating that her bravura turn in “Funny Girl” was no fluke, delivers a scalding rendition of “Nobody’s Side.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
At that stage, Strategy was sitting on unrealized losses of almost $5 billion and despite public displays of bravura and a refusal to contemplate selling, the pressure on Strategy’s stock price was relentless.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026
"The main thing I wanted was the sense of empathy you felt for Teddy," he said of the lead character, played with characteristic bravura by the always-watchable Jesse Plemons.
From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026
Yet for all his bravura style, he directs with a potent sense of drama—one scene is remarkable for its sustained, perfectly judged silence, as gripping as that storm.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026
A marvel, really, the ease with which Dick negotiated changes of mood; in a trice, all trace of meanness, of sullen bravura, had evaporated.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
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.
