bravura

1 of 2

noun

bra·​vu·​ra brə-ˈvyu̇r-ə 

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

Synonyms of bravura

Adjective

• virtuoso
• artistic
• masterful
• skillful
• delicate
• expert

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

Noun

Although The Beast in Me doesn’t entirely hold up as a series, the opening episode of this cat-and-mouse thriller offers some bravura directing and stellar performances. — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026

There’s action in the film, but most of those sequences, including a bravura fight scene set in a farmhouse that’s been set ablaze, take place in the first 30 minutes. — Brent Lang, Variety, 16 June 2026

Adjective

And Anne Hathaway, in a bravura performance, situates Penelope on an emotional precipice, caught between indecision and indignation, between yearning for her husband and a palpable disgust with the alternatives. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026

The director’s blunt, troubling reflection on Odysseus’ choices elevates the film from mere bravura showmanship to a rich, thorny text about morality, regret, and war. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026

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

Rhymes for bravura

• anura
• asura
• bandura
• caesura
• datura
• purpura
• sakura
• angostura
• coloratura
• crura
• dura
• pleura