embolden
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
emboldensimple
-
emboldenssimple
-
have emboldenedperfect
-
has emboldenedperfect
-
am emboldeningprogressive
-
are emboldeningprogressive
-
is emboldeningprogressive
-
have been emboldeningperfect progressive
-
has been emboldeningperfect progressive
Past
-
emboldenedsimple
-
had emboldenedperfect
-
was emboldeningprogressive
-
were emboldeningprogressive
-
had been emboldeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of embolden
Explanation
To embolden someone is to inspire them. You might embolden your brother to try out for a play by enthusiastically praising his singing and dancing abilities. Shy kids sometimes need a friend or a teacher who will embolden them to speak up for themselves, and a good grade in a difficult class will embolden a student to attempt more challenging courses. When you cheer up a friend or encourage a coworker, you embolden those people. To embolden is "to make bold," from the Old English root word beald, which means "brave, confident, or strong."
Vocabulary lists containing embolden
A Thousand Splendid Suns
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!
This Week in Words: August 21 - 25, 2017
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!
The Last Lecture
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:
Several officials have urged the central bank to weigh rate increases this year, and a strong June jobs report on Thursday could embolden some to press for a hike.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Another win would embolden the government to pursue more companies’ international maneuvers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
Joshua Burt, a regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, called the suggested sentence “woefully inadequate” and said he feared it would embolden violence against the Jewish community.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
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 ● Feb. 16, 2026
This would embolden her husband, she was certain.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
The pattern is familiar: Elites hesitate to name antisemitism clearly for fear of inflaming tensions, only to discover that ambiguity emboldens extremists rather than restraining them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025
Inaction only emboldens the Truman’s enemies, which in this case include gravity and potentially an octopus, and encourages further mischief.
From Slate ● May 8, 2025
Yossy Arefi, who adds lemon for brightness—it emboldens the earthiness of the carrots.
From Salon ● Apr. 15, 2025
This section of the book emboldens and expands Cole’s vision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2023
Perhaps it’s the safe feeling that emboldens me.
From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins
The recent clashes with Saudi Arabia, coupled with escalating U.S. military action against Iran, have emboldened the Houthis to step in, analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The hard men in Tehran who survived have emerged emboldened.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
Now, an emboldened Kim calls the program irreversible.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
They may even feel emboldened to misbehave again.
From Slate ● Jun. 8, 2026
She was strengthened, emboldened, by the madness of grief and she fought off everyone who tried to hold her.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Benson Zimba, a Zambian environmental activist, said a soft approach by the government toward Sino-Metals risks emboldening Chinese mining companies to flout environmental laws.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
Over the past week, investors paid particular attention as four out of the “Magnificent Seven” megacap tech stocks reported earnings, with results that spooked some investors while emboldening others.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2025
What matters is protecting a force like cinema that brings humans together, not emboldening the technology that keeps us apart.
From Salon ● May 24, 2025
The impulse to write what you know can be as emboldening as it can be restricting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2024
Appeasement works only to aggravate their drives and strengthen their appetites by emboldening them and by raising the threshold of excitation and "narcissistic supply".
From Terrorists and Freedom Fighters by Vaknin, Samuel
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.
