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:
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
That something so bold can have the journey this film has had is even more heartening.
From Salon ● 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
Transit is the American home of Fosse’s big and bold “Septology,” translated into English by Damion Searls.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Hitler’s Nazi government was growing increasingly bold, and boasted that its air force was now second to none in the entire world.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
“A potential series of small policy moves would be better than waiting and eventually concluding that even bolder actions were necessary,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Investors might have also expected a bolder target from Ives.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 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
“I can skip!” said Peach, bolder by the minute.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
In the boldest move yet globally to curb the rise of fast fashion, France is set to impose per-item fees on Shein, Temu and other platforms deemed by the legislation to engage in "ultra-fast fashion".
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
On the day Arsenal appointed Mikel Arteta, back in 2019, the London club was taking one of its boldest gambles in more than a century of history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“Lanterns,” which unfolds across two timelines, is the boldest entry so far in James Gunn’s remade DC Universe.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Beyond that title, the boldest thing about the film is that Araki doesn’t condemn Erika or Elliot for their fling.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
Ser Barristan had asked some of the queen’s cupbearers to help, but the sight of the burned man was too much for even the boldest of them.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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.
