Bold Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms bold American [bohld] / boʊld /

adjective

bolder, boldest

1. not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring.

   a bold hero.

   Synonyms: dauntless, valorous, intrepid, valiant, brave, adventurous, fearless

2. not hesitating to break the rules of propriety; forward; impudent.

   He apologized for being so bold as to speak to the emperor.

   Antonyms: modest

3. necessitating courage and daring; challenging.

   a bold adventure.

4. beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative.

   Einstein was a bold mathematician.

   a difficult problem needing a bold answer.

5. striking or conspicuous to the eye; flashy; showy.

   a bold pattern.

6. steep; abrupt.

   a bold promontory.

7. Nautical. deep enough to be navigable close to the shore.

   bold waters.

8. Printing. typeset in boldface.

9. Obsolete. trusting; assured.

idioms

1. be / make (so) bold, to presume or venture; dare.

   I made bold to offer my suggestion.

bold British / bəʊld /

adjective

1. courageous, confident, and fearless; ready to take risks

2. showing or requiring courage

   a bold plan

3. immodest or impudent

   she gave him a bold look

4. standing out distinctly; conspicuous

   a figure carved in bold relief

5. very steep

   the bold face of the cliff

6. imaginative in thought or expression

   the novel's bold plot

7. printing set in bold face

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

1. printing short for bold face

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 bold More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing bold

• big and bold
• make bold

Related Words

Bold, brazen, forward, presumptuous may refer to manners in a derogatory way. Bold suggests impudence, shamelessness, and immodesty: a bold stare. Brazen suggests the same, together with a defiant manner: a brazen liar. Forward implies making oneself unduly prominent or bringing oneself to notice with too much assurance. Presumptuous implies overconfidence, effrontery, taking too much for granted.

Other Word Forms

• boldly adverb
• boldness noun
• overbold adjective
• superbold adjective
• unbold adjective

Etymology

Origin of bold

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bald, bold, Old English b(e)ald; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German bald, Dutch boud “bold,” Old Norse ballr “dire,” from unattested Germanic bálthaz; akin to Welsh balch “proud,” Irish balc “strong”

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.

Every January, millions of us make bold predictions without data, adopt strategies without feedback, and sign up for gym memberships that quietly autodraft until we notice the charge sometime around the Fourth of July.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, she urges caution when it comes to bold health claims as robust scientific evidence is still limited.

From BBC

As well as her work in film, Bardot will also be remembered as a fashion icon, with her blonde tousled hair and bold eyeliner setting beauty trends worldwide.

From BBC

Her tousled hair and bold eyeliner set fashion trends worldwide, while her performances cemented Bardot as a cinematic trailblazer.

From BBC

After a bruising 2025, many companies have recast their portfolios, cut costs, or made bold acquisitions in hopes of regaining momentum.

From Barron's

Related Words

• clear
• colorful
• definite
• eye-catching
• flashy
• forceful
• lively
• loud
• spirited
• strong
• vivid

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.