bold

[bohld]

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.

bold

/ 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

noun

1. printing short for bold face

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of bold¹

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bold¹

Old English beald ; related to Old Norse ballr dangerous, terrible, baldinn defiant, Old High German bald bold

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

   I made bold to offer my suggestion.

More idioms and phrases containing bold

• big and bold
• make bold

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

And third, the Supreme Court has frowned on recent presidents who relied on old laws to justify bold, new, costly regulations.

From Los Angeles Times

This bold, courageous judging is precisely what is called for in the present moment.

From Salon

Every bite was bold, flavorful, and deeply satisfying, with plenty of leftovers that easily stretch into a second meal.

From Salon

In August, AI startup Perplexity made a bold bid to purchase Google Chrome for $34.5 billion.

From Los Angeles Times

She jokes that this could be her last Hollywood character so "wanted her to be very bold".

From BBC

Related Words

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