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Showing results for "daring"
  • present participle of dare.
Synonyms

daring

American  
[dair-ing] / ˈdɛər ɪŋ /

noun

  1. adventurous courage; boldness.

    Synonyms:
    bravery, audacity
    Antonyms:
    caution

adjective

  1. bold or courageous; fearless or intrepid; adventurous.

    Synonyms:
    brave, audacious, venturesome, undaunted, dauntless
daring British  
/ ˈdɛərɪŋ /

adjective

  1. bold or adventurous; reckless

"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

noun

  1. courage in taking risks; boldness

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of daring

First recorded in 1575–85; dare + -ing 1, -ing 2

Explanation

To be daring is to be bold, adventurous, and a little nervy. It’s a quality possessed by people who tend to take risks. If someone says, “I dare you,” and you always do, you’re a daring person. If you're daring, you dare to do things that are risky and even dangerous. A daring mountain climber goes for the top of Mount Everest, and a daring policeman enters the scariest houses to catch a crook. In comics and movies, superheroes are daring. Even quitting your job to start your own business is daring. The seafarers who first traveled across the globe were daring. Daring people are brave, and daring adventures are pretty exciting.

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Vocabulary lists containing daring

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:

“I can be more daring in English. I can say the words or verbalize the thoughts with much less inhibition, because I am not as emotionally attached,” he explains.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 31, 2026

Plus, we look at new fronts erupting in the Iran war, and a daring mission to recover American POWs from the ocean floor.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 30, 2026

The most daring, the most violent, the "person in the top gear", as one 23-year-old put it, has a chance -- albeit slim -- of rising through the ranks.

From Barron's Jul. 13, 2026

One of Britain’s admirals described it as “the most bold and daring act of the age.”

From Salon Jul. 4, 2026

Her eyes are bold, almost as if they’re challenging the camera, daring it to catch her not smiling.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

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