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1

brave

play
adjective \ˈbrāv\

Definition of brave

braver

;

bravest

  1. 1 :  having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty :  having or showing courage a brave soldier a brave smile

  2. 2 :  making a fine show :  colorful brave banners flying in the wind

  3. 3 :  excellent, splendid the brave fire I soon had going — J. F. Dobie

bravely

adverb

See brave defined for English-language learners

See brave defined for kids

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Examples of brave in a Sentence

  1. She gave us a brave smile.

  2. He lost his brave fight against the disease.

Origin and Etymology of brave

borrowed from Medieval French, borrowed from Italian bravo “courageous, wild,” perhaps ultimately going back to Latin barbarus barbarous


First Known Use: circa 1616

brave Synonyms

Synonyms
bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, heroic (also heroical), intrepid, lionhearted, manful, stalwart, stout, stouthearted, undauntable, undaunted, valiant, 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
2

brave

verb

Definition of brave

braved

;

braving
  1. transitive verb

  2. 1 :  to face or endure with courage braved the rush-hour traffic to get there braving the elements

  3. 2 obsolete :  to make showy

  4. intransitive verb

  5. archaic :  to show courage :  to make a brave show

braver

noun

See brave defined for English-language learners

Examples of brave in a Sentence

  1. Thousands of fans braved rush-hour traffic to see the concert.

  2. a soldier who braved enemy fire to rescue her wounded comrade

Origin and Etymology of brave

borrowed from Medieval French braver “to challenge, flout,” verbal derivative of brave 1brave


First Known Use: 1546

brave Synonyms

Synonyms
beard, face, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, outbrave, outface
Antonyms
dodge, duck, funk, shirk, sidestep
Related Words
face up (to), front; affront; challenge; encounter, meet; accost, approach, corner; repel, resist, stand, withstand; battle, combat, contend (with), fight, oppose, square (off)
Near Antonyms
avoid, eschew, shun; elude, escape, evade, shake
3

brave

noun

Definition of brave

  1. 1 archaic :  bravado

  2. 2 [in part borrowed from French, noun derivative of brave 1brave] :  one with mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty :  one who is brave (see 1brave) none but the brave deserves the fair — John Dryden; specifically :  an American Indian warrior

  3. 3 archaic :  bully, assassin

See brave defined for English-language learners

Origin and Etymology of brave

noun derivative of 1brave


First Known Use: 1590

Phrases Related to BRAVE

Related Phrases

BRAVE Defined for English Language Learners

brave

play
adjective

Definition of brave for English Language Learners

  • : feeling or showing no fear : not afraid

brave

verb

Definition of brave for English Language Learners

  • : to face or deal with (something dangerous or unpleasant)

brave

noun

Definition of brave for English Language Learners

  • : a Native American warrior

BRAVE Defined for Kids

1

brave

play
adjective \ˈbrāv\

Definition of brave for Students

braver

;

bravest

  1. :  feeling or showing no fear

bravely

adverb
2

brave

play
verb

Definition of brave for Students

braved

;

braving

  1. :  to face or handle without fear

3

brave

play
noun

Definition of brave for Students

  1. :  an American Indian warrior

Learn More about brave

  1. See words that rhyme with brave Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for brave Spanish Central: Translation of brave Nglish: Translation of brave for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of brave for Arabic speakers

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Examples: brave in a Sentence