valiantly
Americanadverb
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in a bold and stouthearted way; bravely or courageously.
The Polish troops fought valiantly in World War II, and were crucial to the Allied victory.
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in a heroic way that shows determination and tenacity.
Since the storm, utility crews have struggled valiantly to restore power, often working 16-hour shifts for days on end.
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in a worthy or excellent way.
Medieval art valiantly, exhaustively, fleshes out one perceptual model after another for what triumphantly escapes human perception: God, death, power, love, and so on.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of valiantly
Explanation
To do something valiantly is to do it bravely and with valor. Heroes are known for doing things valiantly. Firefighters save lives by valiantly running into burning buildings. To be valiant is to have courage and to persevere, especially in difficult circumstances. Therefore, to act valiantly is to show courage and perseverance. A basketball player with a sore ankle who helps win the game has played valiantly. A war hero served his country valiantly. Martin Luther King Jr. worked for civil rights valiantly. This word has to do with strength of character and fortitude. Acting valiantly is difficult, which is why others admire it.
Vocabulary lists containing valiantly
Flying Lessons & Other Stories
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Unit 2, Whole-Class & Small-Group Learning
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A Mango-Shaped Space
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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.
I saw talented teams like South Korea collapse under pressure and my beloved Mexico valiantly fall against an English squad that was taller, faster and just better — for now.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
They would certainly hunt valiantly for some American official who has access to the list and enough need or greed to sell it to them for mere millions.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
Denmark fought valiantly, though, opening the scoring through Nick Olesen before Matt Boldy brought the Americans level.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
The direction of Michael Greif and Schele Williams valiantly tries to contain the material’s hokiness without undercutting the wishfulness that lies at the heart of the story’s broad emotional appeal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2026
And she gasped as the car cracked against a rock and reeled back across the road with an ominous scraping somewhere beneath, but then gathered itself together valiantly and resumed its dogged climb.
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
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.
