brave

1 of 3

adjective

braver; bravest
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
: making a fine show : colorful
brave banners flying in the wind
3
: excellent, splendid
… the brave fire I soon had going …J. F. Dobie
bravely adverb

brave

2 of 3

verb

braved; braving

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

archaic : to show courage : to make a brave show
braver noun

brave

3 of 3

noun

1
[in part borrowed from French, noun derivative of brave brave entry 1] : one with mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : one who is brave (see brave entry 1)
… none but the brave deserves the fair.John Dryden
specifically : an American Indian warrior
2
archaic : bravado
3
archaic : bully, assassin

Examples of brave in a Sentence

Adjective She gave us a brave smile. He lost his brave fight against the disease. Verb Thousands of fans braved rush-hour traffic to see the concert. a soldier who braved enemy fire to rescue her wounded comrade
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
These brave men and women conducting rescue operations have saved many people but sadly, there have also been at least 50 fatalities reported, including 15 children as of Saturday night. Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 6 July 2025 The future of this country belongs to those brave enough to remember—and bold enough to keep building toward a more perfect union. Stacey Abrams, Essence, 4 July 2025
Verb
Known for his fierce work ethic, Siegel took on cases that promised long hours and lengthy paperwork, earning a reputation for being feared, respected and willing to brave a trial in the East Bay’s various courthouses. Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 7 July 2025 As Moroney finished her set, those fans already seated on blankets or arcing their necks to see the stage were also those braving the humidity as the moment marked finishing their first tall boy beer, accompanied by their first drips of sweat broken during the day. Kirsten Fiscus, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Noun
Shoshone chief Winter Bird (Irene Bedard) is a pacifist dealing with young braves too eager to fight. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025 Still, Marler braves on; he’s got his team to watch. Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 1 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for brave

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Middle French, borrowed from Italian bravo "courageous, wild," perhaps ultimately going back to Latin barbarus barbarous

Verb

borrowed from Middle French braver "to challenge, flout," verbal derivative of brave brave entry 1

Noun

noun derivative of brave entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1590, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of brave was in 1568

Cite this Entry

“Brave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brave. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

brave

1 of 3 adjective
1
: feeling or displaying no fear : courageous
2
: making a fine show : splendid
brave banners flying in the wind
bravely adverb

brave

2 of 3 verb
braved; braving
: to face or bear with courage
pioneers who braved the dangers of the frontier

brave

3 of 3 noun
: one who is brave
especially : a warrior of an Indigenous people of North America

More from Merriam-Webster on brave

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