embolden
Americanverb (used with object)
-
emboldens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
emboldened,
past participle, past
-
emboldening
present participle
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
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This Week in Words: August 21 - 25, 2017
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The Last Lecture
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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:
Another parade through the streets of downtown Los Angeles this fall would only embolden their efforts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
It is far from certain whether the coming weeks and months will embolden or strengthen Farage, or serve to emphasise the tight spot he is already in.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 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
But once it did occur to him, it seemed to embolden him, even past the point of caution.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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
Lower-court judges should criticize these decisions because that emboldens people in the academy to write articles saying: “Yes, this is very bad. This should be anti-canonized.”
From Slate ● Oct. 6, 2025
The case appears rather robust, and also emboldens California's similar case.
From BBC ● May 29, 2025
Yossy Arefi, who adds lemon for brightness—it emboldens the earthiness of the carrots.
From Salon ● Apr. 15, 2025
Still, it emboldens her to do another thing she hasn’t been able to do—to see what she’s been missing.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
Instead, the conflict has emboldened Iran’s leaders and mobilized their supporters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
Some staff are asking if that could have emboldened others at the top of the organisation to speak out against him or to even insist he steps down.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
Karim, another would-be migrant turned back, said news of some successful crossings emboldened many to make their own attempt.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
The outcome of the war and the deal to stop it means Iran enters crucial talks over its nuclear program emboldened, analysts said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
Somehow Ben was emboldened with enough confidence to walk up to the other guys and offer handshakes.
From "Paper Towns" by John Green
SpaceX’s historic offering in June went surprisingly smoothly despite its giant size, emboldening many companies to push forward with IPOs in the second-half of the year, according to people familiar with the matter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Forming a sanctuary for themselves was just as important to the troupe as emboldening others’ desire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026
A publication that once stood for truth and justice, emboldening reporters like Bernstein and Woodward to uncover corruption, was now wantonly flaunting its own rot.
From Salon ● Mar. 7, 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
Do not seek for popularity at Lisbon, nor for the means of pleasing the nation; that would be failing in your aim, emboldening the people, and preparing misfortunes for yourself.
From World's Best Histories — Volume 7: France by M. (François) Guizot
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.
