valiant

¹val·iant

adjective \ˈval-yənt\

Definition of VALIANT

1

: possessing or acting with bravery or boldness : courageous <valiant soldiers>

2

: marked by, exhibiting, or carried out with courage or determination : heroic <valiant feats>

— val·iant·ly adverb

— val·iant·ness noun

Examples of VALIANT

1. She died last year after a valiant battle with cancer.
2. Despite their valiant efforts, they lost the game.
3. She made a valiant attempt to fix the problem.

Origin of VALIANT

Middle English vailant, valiant, from Anglo-French vaillant worthy, strong, courageous, from present participle of valer to be of worth, from Latin valēre to be strong — more at wield

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to VALIANT

Synonyms

bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted, brave, valorous

Antonyms

chicken, chickenhearted, chicken-livered, coward, cowardly, craven, dastardly, fainthearted, fearful, gutless, lily-livered, milk-livered [archaic], nerveless, poltroon, poor-spirited, pusillanimous, spineless, spiritless, timorous, uncourageous, ungallant, unheroic, weakhearted, yellow

Related Words

determined, firm, game, gamy (or gamey), gritty, plucky, resolute, Spartan, undeterred, undismayed, unflinching, unswerving; mettlesome, spirited, spunky; adventuresome, adventurous, audacious, daring, dashing, hardy, venturesome, venturous; crazy, foolish, half-witted, insane, lunatic, mad, nutty; brash, brazen, daredevil, foolhardy, heedless, hotheaded, impetuous, imprudent, impulsive, incautious, madcap, overbold, overconfident, rash, reckless, thoughtless, wild; hasty, headlong, precipitate; comforted, emboldened, encouraged, heartened, reassured, unafraid

Near Antonyms

diffident, mousy (or mousey), scary, shy, skittish, timid; anxious, apprehensive, nervous; careful, cautious, heedful, prudent, unadventurous; afraid, agitated, disconcerted, disquieted, disturbed, frightened, horrified, panicked, panic-stricken, perturbed, scared, shocked, spooked, startled, terrified, terrorized, unnerved, upset; appalled, concerned, dismayed, worried; unmanly, weak, wimpy

²valiant

noun

Definition of VALIANT

: a valiant person

First Known Use of VALIANT

1589