daredevil
Americannoun
-
daredevils
plural
adjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of daredevil
Explanation
Do you love the thrill of a terrifying rollercoaster or the risky challenge of doing dangerous tricks on your skateboard? Then you're a daredevil, someone who is recklessly adventurous. A daredevil loves adventure and excitement and tends not to think much about the safety or wisdom of their actions. The man who walked on a wire between the towers of the World Trade Center was a daredevil, and the woman who was the first to ride a barrel over Niagara Falls was also a daredevil. This word is also used as another name for a stunt performer who attempts risky tricks in front of a live audience.
Vocabulary lists containing daredevil
Words to Describe a Hero or Heroine
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Uh-Oh: Synonyms for "Dangerous"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Put on a Bold Face: Synonyms for "Brave"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Donald Campbell's restored Bluebird craft has been fired up on Coniston Water for the first time since the daredevil pilot's fatal crash on the lake almost 60 years ago.
From BBC ● May 11, 2026
With the element of fire as an intensifier, the Fire Horse is the daredevil and thrill-seeker of the lunar cycle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2026
Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-storey tower to watch Alex Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix.
From Barron's ● Jan. 25, 2026
In chaotic situations, he says, the brain of the average daredevil doesn’t produce much cortisol, a chemical involved in the fight or flight response.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
He was a tall, handsome man with wavy blond hair and the look of a daredevil in his eyes.
From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt
Ten men suffered injuries Tuesday during the eighth and final bull run of Spain's famed San Fermin festival, bringing to 57 the total number of daredevils injured during this year's fiesta.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
The magician Ricky Jay’s compendium of actual “unique, eccentric and amazing entertainers” offers a parade of con artists, charlatans, escapologists, daredevils, mesmerists, contortionists and sideshow acts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2025
It was a white-knuckle, high-wire business fit only for daredevils.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2025
Mountain goats are high-elevation daredevils, learning to balance upon the steepest of rocky edifices soon after they are born.
From New York Times ● May 1, 2024
He saw that the stone-throwers were few, and the daredevils, who at times adventured to pull up the railings which guarded the forecourt, were fewer.
From Chippinge Borough by Stanley J. Weyman
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.
