bravery

noun brav·ery \ ˈbrāv-rē , ˈbrā-və- \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of bravery

plural braveries

1 : the quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : the quality or state of being brave : courage

showing bravery under fire

2 a : fine clothes

wearing their Sunday bravery

b : showy display

the streets strewed with flowers and full of pageantry, banners, and bravery
—John Evelyn

See bravery defined for English-language learners

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Examples of bravery in a Sentence

He received a medal for bravery.
children in their Sunday bravery

Recent Examples of bravery from the Web

Tygret also thanked the county for recognizing her daughter's bravery.

— caitlin o'kane, CBS News, "10-year-old girl shot while shielding baby brother receives medal for heroism," 10 June 2018
The list published late Friday by Britain's Cabinet Office includes many receiving honors for merit, service and bravery.

— Fox News, "Queen Elizabeth II to honor Emma Thompson, Tom Hardy and Keira Knightley at Buckingham Palace," 9 June 2018
The queen's honors list, published late Friday by Britain's Cabinet Office, includes many receiving honors for merit, service and bravery.

— gregory katz, USA TODAY, "Queen's honors go to Emma Thompson, Tom Hardy, Keira Knightley," 8 June 2018
Outer Mars, or Upper Mars, represents perseverance and emotional bravery.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "A Beginner's Guide to Reading Palms," 4 June 2018
President Kim Il -sung was the hero who battled them back across the border and protected his country with such bravery.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Algren Award runner-up: "Most Best Happy Korean Bright Star" by Michelle Massie," 2 June 2018
But Roth always seemed ambivalent about his social provocations, and a better measure of his bravery shows in the switchbacks on his first book’s opening page.

— nathan heller, Vogue, "Remembering Philip Roth, Literary Risk-Taker," 23 May 2018
Bel Powley plays Claire Clairmont, Mary’s stepsister who has a child with Byron, with pluck and bravery.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "Poor Mary Shelley!," 23 May 2018
Art Produce Artist in Residence Erica Buechner has choreographed an evening-length dance work that contemplates vulnerability and bravery by exploring all that lies beneath the surface to reveal human stories.

— marcia manna, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Summer arts preview: Top 5 dance picks," 13 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bravery.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.