bold

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: fearless before danger : intrepid
bold settlers on some foreign shoreWilliam 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
7
: being or set in boldface
bold lettering
boldly adverb
boldness noun

bold

2 of 2

noun

: boldface
printed in bold

Example Sentences

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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The interior is no less flashy, with a bold two-tone blue-and-black color scheme. Alexander Stoklosa, Car and Driver, 18 May 2023 The result is LaLAB—a new platform focusing on bold one-off designs. ELLE Decor, 18 May 2023 The Fire Tokens need some tweaking, but adding a currency to the game is an example of a bold idea that can actually expand strategic decision making in an exciting way moving forward. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 18 May 2023 Wrinkly green beans tossed with pickled cabbage, part of some of the best takeout in recent memory, whisks me to Sichuan, the Chinese province famous for its bold flavors. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 17 May 2023 This year, a number of actors are making their Cannes debut — and may be looking to make a bold sartorial entrance. Leah Dolan, CNN, 17 May 2023 Their gorgeous leaves and striking flowers in bold colors bloom all summer in full sun. Kelly Allen, House Beautiful, 17 May 2023 Pascal also sports a bold green jacket on his horse and a shirt that hangs just low enough to keep him from going full frontal for the audience, although his bare butt will make his fans plenty excited. Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 May 2023 With a deep purple color and chorus of scents like cinnamon, plum, cashmere wood, and patchouli leaf, the candle creates a bold presence in any home. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 17 May 2023
Noun
Fortune favors the bold. Anto Dotcom, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022 And fortune favors the bold. Jiayang Fan, The New Yorker, 10 June 2022 In this case, fortune favors the bold. Abhi Rahman, CNN, 5 May 2022 Second, fortune favors the bold. Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 4 May 2022 America favors the bold. Ciku Kimeria, Quartz, 6 Apr. 2022 In a pendulum swing away from stark minimalism, the brands that participated in this year's fair embraced the beauty in the bold with quirky decorative items, statement furniture pieces, and colorful wallpapers. Isiah Magsino, Town & Country, 25 Jan. 2023 See More

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 29 May. 2023.

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.

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