bravery

American

[brey-vuh-ree, breyv-ree] / ˈbreɪ və ri, ˈbreɪv ri /

noun

plural

braveries

brave spirit or conduct; courage; valor.

Synonyms:

spunk, mettle, nerve, audacity, spirit, pluck, heroism, prowess, daring, boldness, fearlessness, intrepidity

Antonyms:

cowardice
showiness; splendor; magnificence.

Related Words

See courage.

Other Word Forms

overbravery noun

Etymology

Origin of bravery

First recorded in 1540–50; probably from Italian braveria; equivalent to brave + -ery

Compare meaning

How does bravery compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

courage vs. bravery

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.

"I cannot overemphasise his courage, bravery and professionalism in the role that he played."

From BBC

The shamash, the centre candle, was lit by the father of Ahmed al Ahmed, in honour of his bravery in wrestling a gun off one of the attackers.

From BBC

Awards for bravery have followed, as has the label "hero".

From BBC

Their actions raised a question: How can ordinary people respond with such bravery?

From The Wall Street Journal

"While nothing can lessen the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we feel an overwhelming sense of pride in their bravery and selflessness," the couple's family said in a statement.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023