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:
And Meg was bold enough to be like, “We should do it at the Critics Choice Awards.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said Prime Minister Andy Burnham had "set out a bold ambition to end homelessness and rough sleeping at the earliest opportunity".
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Writing to a friend about this bold retrospective, Sand asserts that “the public is too ignoble for me . . . either to accuse myself or to justify myself about anything before it.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
A bold idea, some flawed early studies, a fierce backlash – and then, years later, a quieter, more careful return to the question.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026
The one with the loose ponytail and the bold stare.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
“If inflation remains elevated, in my view, a potential series of small policy moves would be better than waiting and eventually concluding that even bolder actions were necessary,” Kashkari said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
“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
She is the former head of the New Economic Foundation think tank and it wants bolder cost of living measures – from rent controls to making bus journeys entirely free for under 25s.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Investors might have also expected a bolder target from Ives.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
The heft of steel in his fist made him bolder.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
“Lanterns,” which unfolds across two timelines, is the boldest entry so far in James Gunn’s remade DC Universe.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
IonQ: This is the largest publicly traded pure play by market capitalization—and one of the boldest.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
We need the boldest jobs agenda in generations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
In 1996, the company made its boldest bet, splurging on a 30,000-square-foot building.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
I got back on, and when I finally thought I had gained my balance, I pushed off on what was my boldest attempt, steering around the corner and gaining speed.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
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.
