bold

1 of 2

adjective

bolder; boldest
1
a
: fearless before danger : intrepid
Bold settlers on some foreign shore …William Wordsworth
b
: showing or requiring a fearless daring spirit
a bold plan
2
: impudent, presumptuous
punishing a bold child for talking back
If I may be so bold, I'd like to make a few suggestions.
3
obsolete : assured, confident
4
: sheer, steep
bold cliffs
5
: adventurous, free
a bold thinker
6
: standing out prominently
bold headlines
dressed in bold colors/patterns
often, of food : strong and distinctive : assertive sense 2
bold flavors
bolder spices like cinnamon and clove
7
: being or set in boldface
bold lettering
boldly adverb
boldness noun

bold

2 of 2

noun

: boldface
printed in bold

Examples of bold in a Sentence

Adjective Few politicians have been bold enough to oppose the plan to cut taxes. It's a bold plan that might fail. Hiring a novice was a bold move. He punished the bold child for talking back. I'd like to offer a few criticisms, if I may be so bold. She wore a dress with bold stripes. The painting is done in bold colors.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
While creamy white walls will always be a mainstay, people are getting bolder and more confident with color. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024 The bold, brown shade adds a subtle yet chic look while still adding a ton of definition to your eyes. Hyphensocial Contributors, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
Of the latter, street style stars embraced the bold with over-the-knee boots, leather midiskirts, and head-to-heel red ensembles. Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2024 The lightening bold struck the ground next to the group, and approximately 50 of them felt the shock of it, police said. Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 28 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for bold 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Old English beald; akin to Old High German bald bold

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bold was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bold

Cite this Entry

“Bold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bold. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

bold

adjective
ˈbōld
1
a
: willing to meet danger or take risks : daring
b
: showing daring spirit
a bold plan
2
3
: steep entry 1 sense 1
bold cliffs
4
: standing out in a very noticeable way : conspicuous
bold colors
5
: being or set in boldface
bold letters
boldly
ˈbōl-(d)lē
adverb
boldness
ˈbōl(d)-nəs
noun

Medical Definition

BOLD

abbreviation
blood oxygenation level-dependent; blood oxygen level-dependent

Note: BOLD is used to describe imaging signals and methods that measure changes in the magnetic properties of hemoglobin accompanying changes in blood oxygen levels. BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging is dependent on oxygen levels and is used especially in the study of brain function to produce images showing blood flow indicative of neural activity.

More from Merriam-Webster on bold

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