emboldened

American  

[em-bohl-dnd] / ɛmˈboʊl dnd /

Rarely imboldened

adjective

1. made bold or bolder; given the courage or nerve to do something daring, challenging, or controversial.

   It was unclear whether the missile fire was the work of an emboldened rebel force, the military, or some mixture of both.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of embolden.

Etymology

Origin of emboldened

embolden ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

At the farm, John is emboldened by Mrs. Graham in his search for his ideal role, working in the Emporium.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

After years of sketches, she was emboldened to finish the song after running into front man Lupe Esparza at 2022’s Bésame Mucho festival, who encouraged her to send a demo.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Both the US and the Iranian delegations came to Islamabad emboldened by their belief that theirs was the winning side in this war.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

But this time, many of the most prominent conservative commentators felt emboldened enough to openly criticize the administration’s actions.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

With each victory, she felt emboldened and determined.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

Related Words

• buoyant
• cheerful
• comfortable
• confident
• eager
• enthusiastic
• rosy
• sanguine
• trusting
• upbeat