bravura

1 of 2

noun

bra·​vu·​ra brə-ˈvyu̇r-ə How to pronounce bravura (audio)
brä-,
-ˈvu̇r-
1
music : a musical passage requiring exceptional agility and technical skill in execution
2
: a florid brilliant style
3
: a show of daring or brilliance

bravura

2 of 2

adjective

1
: marked by a dazzling display of skill
a bravura performance
2
: ornate, showy
bravura prose

Examples of bravura in a Sentence

Adjective a truly bravura performance of the ballet that brought the crowd to its feet
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.
Noun
The bravura centerpiece is the two friends’ destructive brawl in a Hamptons manse, which explodes everything in sight, from an enormous aquarium to the second story window. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 15 Aug. 2025 The bravura sequence gets a fresh jolt when Nile abandons her lookout vessel and makes a spectacular entrance. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2025 The lede’s bravura gives way to an entertaining tour of biohacking’s past and present, with conference attendees giving Bahr more color than a bowl of Lucky Charms. Longreads, 27 June 2025 Golden Voice Dion Graham gives a bravura performance of the fraught relationships between three generations of fathers and sons. Audiofile Magazine july 31, Literary Hub, 31 July 2025 Did Bischoff’s bravura storytelling end up breaking off another chunk of consensus reality, like ice from a melting glacier? James Parker, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025 Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort is not merely a design bravura showpiece, but a rare luxury hotel where the personalized service is warmhearted, rather than condescending. Marcia Desanctis, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2025 Of course, the bravura vampire fights inside and outside the juke were in IMAX. Bill Desowitz, IndieWire, 19 Apr. 2025 Yet another Smart turn and bravura performance should be a strong box office pull for this limited summer run. Frank Rizzo, Variety, 13 June 2025
Adjective
But the bravura camera movements and visual excess would be meaningless, Billeter said, if it’s not modulated with more straightforward camerawork that gets at character interiority. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2025 The film’s most bravura sequence sees Nate holding up a gas station while Polly looks on, horrified, when another customer whips out a gun. Damon Wise, Deadline, 31 July 2025 The first corrida in the film condenses its many segments into a bravura sequence of a dozen minutes: both an overview of the usual order of business and a selection of prime moments from a theatre of death. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 24 June 2025 His movies are deeply political, but also poetic and personal, eschewing traditional storytelling for an expressionistic approach marked by bravura stylistics, inner turmoil and the occasional musical number. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025 His bravura side is still firmly in place, yet it is buoyed now by a growing sophistication. Thea Traff, New York Times, 3 May 2025 Thus enfranchised, Hackman took on Richard Harris’ elegant killer English Bob with gusto, mixing in a bravura oratorical gavotte with ample kicks to the ribs, and summoning the Best Supporting Actor trophy. Fred Schruers, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2025 In this balance lies the bravura, idiosyncratic source of Murakami’s popularity. Randy Boyagoda, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024 Sanders, on the other hand — in the most outrageously, satisfyingly bravura role of his career — doubles down on the stereotype. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian, literally, bravery, from bravare to show off — more at bravado

Adjective

adjective derivative of bravura entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1920, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bravura was in 1757

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bravura.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bravura. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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