Synonyms

embolden

American

[em-bohl-dn] / ɛmˈboʊl dn /

Rarely imbolden

verb (used with object)

to make bold or bolder; hearten; encourage.

embolden British

/ ɪmˈbəʊldən /

verb

(tr) to encourage; make bold

"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

Etymology

Origin of embolden

First recorded in 1495–1505; em- ¹ + bold + -en ¹

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.

That is because families feel newly emboldened to denounce the arrests of their loved ones.

From The Wall Street Journal

And compared to previous incidents, the US response to the latest spat "has been muted so far, which may embolden China", said Lin and Govella.

From BBC

"But this never deterred me, instead, it emboldened me to continue the struggle."

From Barron's

A Church of Ireland minister has said she hopes churches "feel emboldened to counteract racism whenever they see it".

From BBC

An emphatic victory for Takaichi and her Liberal Democratic Party would cement her grip on power and embolden her to pursue her vision of revitalizing Japan’s economy and raising stagnant incomes with aggressive fiscal spending.

From The Wall Street Journal

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