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

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

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

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

Mr. Pinsker attaches much importance to that effort, noting that it emboldened military enforcement of emancipation and Congressional support for black recruitment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 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