bold

[ bohld ]

/ boʊld /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bold ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, bold·er, bold·est.

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.

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.

steep; abrupt: a bold promontory.

Nautical. deep enough to be navigable close to the shore: bold waters.

Printing. typeset in boldface.

Obsolete. trusting; assured.

Nearby words

bola, bolan pass, boland, bolar, bolas, bold, bold as brass, bold face, bold-faced, bolden, boldface

Idioms

be/make (so) bold, to presume or venture; dare: I made bold to offer my suggestion.

Origin of bold

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 < Germanic *bál-tha-z; akin to Welsh balch proud, Irish balc strong < *bal-ko-

SYNONYMS FOR bold

1 fearless, adventurous, brave, valiant, intrepid, valorous, dauntless.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bold ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR bold

2 modest.

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Related forms

bold·ly, adverbbold·ness, nouno·ver·bold, adjectiveo·ver·bold·ly, adverb

o·ver·bold·ness, nounsu·per·bold, adjectivesu·per·bold·ly, adverbsu·per·bold·ness, nounun·bold, adjectiveun·bold·ly, adverbun·bold·ness, noun

Can be confused

bolder boulder

Synonym study

2. 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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bold

The well, ghost or no ghost, is certainly a piece of history with a bold presence.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Or bold stands that may not preserve our security today or tomorrow, but keep our principles safely intact?
Should the U.S. Really Pay a Kim’s Ransom?|Kevin Bleyer|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Then, under the bold headline “Rebooting Spider-Man,” Robinov describes a broad vision for the future of the franchise.
Exclusive: Sony Hack Reveals Studio's Detailed Plans For Another ‘Spider-Man’ Reboot|William Boot|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The 2014 election was a wipeout, progressives say, because Democrats lacked a bold economic message to inspire voters.
Progressives: Big Ideas Will Win Us 2016|David Freedlander|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The declaration adopted by the meeting was a bold step, but it did not a revolution make.
How Havel Inspired the Velvet Revolution|Michael Zantovsky|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rapidly and unerringly the bold strokes grated across the canvas.
Thorley Weir|E. F. (Edward Frederic) Benson
Here again, I make so bold as to assert, there is no royal road.
Chats on Old Miniatures|J. J. Foster
There's not a trade agoing,Worth knowing or showing,Like that from glory growing!Says the bold soldier boy.
The Continental Monthly, Vol 2, No 6, December 1862|Various
It is certainly better suited to the bold outlines and masses of the Norman period.
The Cathedral Church of York|A. Clutton-Brock
This is a long arm of the sea, surrounded by high, bold mountains, clothed with very green verdure to their tops.
On an Irish Jaunting-car|Samuel G. Bayne

British Dictionary definitions for bold

bold

/ (bəʊld) /

adjective

courageous, confident, and fearless; ready to take risks

showing or requiring couragea bold plan

immodest or impudentshe gave him a bold look

standing out distinctly; conspicuousa figure carved in bold relief

very steepthe bold face of the cliff

imaginative in thought or expressionthe novel's bold plot

printing set in bold face

noun

printing short for bold face

Derived Forms

boldly, adverbboldness, noun

Word Origin for bold

Old English beald; related to Old Norse ballr dangerous, terrible, baldinn defiant, Old High German bald bold

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

Idioms and Phrases with bold

bold

In addition to the idiom beginning with bold

bold as brass

also see:

big and bold
make bold