valiant
Americanadjective
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boldly courageous; brave; stout-hearted.
a valiant soldier.
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marked by or showing bravery or valor; heroic.
to make a valiant effort.
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worthy; excellent.
adjective
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courageous, intrepid, or stout-hearted; brave
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marked by bravery or courage
a valiant deed
Synonym Usage
See brave.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of valiant
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English valia(u)nt, from Anglo-French; Middle French vaillant, present participle of valoir “to be of worth,” Latin valēre; see -ant
Explanation
It was pretty courageous of the automaker Plymouth to name a car the "Valiant" in the 1960s and 70s because that term usually refers to a hero or describes a really determined, or valiant, effort that doesn't end well. Synonyms for valiant include "heroic" and "courageous," so it isn’t surprising that those who serve in the military often are called valiant. The 14th-century French origins of the word are "bold" or "of worth," which makes the adjective valiant a good one for describing ordinary people who put all they have into something, making their efforts valiant, even if they fail. The Plymouth Valiant, by the way, was considered a strong and successful car, though valiant usually refers to people.
Vocabulary lists containing valiant
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling
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Much Ado About Nothing
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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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.
That Niall finds Ruben so alluring is natural to Gadd, who believes the notion of a valiant male figure has been bred into everyone via fables and fairy tales.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026
After being broken in the third set, he immediately called for the trainer and, after a valiant attempt at his next service game, called it quits.
From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026
Glenn Phillips hit a valiant 78 off 40 balls and briefly threatened a fightback in his 79-run partnership with Mark Chapman, who made 39.
From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026
It was replaced by a predawn raid that was brilliantly executed and valiant.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026
And very valiant indeed he was: no heir of Minas Tirith has for long years been so hardy in toil, so onward into battle, or blown a mightier note on the Great Horn.’
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
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.
