intrepid
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- intrepidity noun
- intrepidly adverb
- intrepidness noun
Etymology
Origin of intrepid
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Latin intrepidus, equivalent to in- in- 3 + trepidus “anxious”; see trepidation
Explanation
Intrepid is just a fancy word for describing a person or action that is bold and brave. Super heroes are intrepid in their struggle for truth and justice. Some synonyms are fearless, courageous, dauntless, or valiant, but the word intrepid suggests a lack of fear in dealing with something new or unknown. This adjective comes from Latin intrepidus, formed from the prefix in-, "not" and trepidus, "alarmed."
Vocabulary lists containing intrepid
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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.
On this year's show five intrepid teams embark on the journey through eight countries - Italy, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and finally Mongolia.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
"Most people have this image of an intrepid explorer braving an isolated mountain or some other remote place, and stumbling across a creature that no one has ever seen before," Chan said.
From Science Daily • Mar. 9, 2026
Queer desire, femininity, and lipstick form an intrepid triptych in the form of pop star Chappell Roan, whose persona betrays both her rural Missouri provenance and the glittery legacy of drag performance.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026
The book’s title was “Chewing the Fat: An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita,” and its intrepid interviewer-compiler-translator-annotator was Karima Moyer-Nocchi.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026
In his mind, Inatimi became perfect, brave and bracing, made intrepid and sensitive by loss.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
