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:
These days, you’re as likely to see a #cleanliving West Village girl clutching a can of rocket fuel as you are a BMX-mounted daredevil or a nocturnal gamer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
This Shakespearean traveling show, now at the Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood through Saturday, is a daredevil feat of memory, theatrical bravado and cardio fitness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 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
Unless you’re a daredevil who loves to incur risk, most of the time you should bet against beta.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2025
Or I was a skydiving, drag-racing, adrenaline-fueled daredevil.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
Monday's Republic Day parade featured Russian helicopters and planes, alongside dancers and motorcycle daredevils.
From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026
As the YouTube hit demonstrates, hot sauce isn’t just for daredevils and masochists: It’s a truth serum.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 20, 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
The airplane, in 1914 a doubtful plaything of daredevils, emerged from the war a perfected thing of the air.
From Artificial Light Its Influence upon Civilization by Matthew Luckiesh
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.
