daredevil

adjective

dare·dev·il | \ˈder-ˌde-vᵊl

Definition of daredevil

(Entry 1 of 2)

: recklessly and often ostentatiously daring

daredevil

noun

Definition of daredevil (Entry 2 of 2)

: a recklessly bold person

Other Words from daredevil Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about daredevil

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Other Words from daredevil

Noun

daredevilry \ -vᵊl-rē

\ noun

daredeviltry \ -vᵊl-trē

\ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for daredevil

Synonyms: Adjective

audacious, brash, foolhardy, madcap, overbold, overconfident, reckless

Synonyms: Noun

devil, madcap, madman

Antonyms: Adjective

careful, cautious, circumspect, guarded, heedful, prudent, safe, wary

Choose the Right Synonym for daredevil

Adjective

adventurous, venturesome, daring, daredevil, rash, reckless, foolhardy mean exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense. adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence. adventurous pioneers venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings. venturesome stunt pilots daring implies fearlessness in courting danger. daring mountain climbers daredevil stresses ostentation in daring. daredevil motorcyclists rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought. a rash decision reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences. a reckless driver foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense. the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Examples of daredevil in a Sentence

Adjective

his daredevil stunts are sure to end in disaster someday a daredevil driver who thinks that drag racing on city streets is a harmless game

Noun

He has always been a bit of a daredevil. that little daredevil has broken an arm and an ankle this year alone

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch, hiding under a black cowboy hat, brought a rueful heaviness to the laconic Ennis, whose fear keeps the lovers from making a life together, while tenor Glenn Seven Allen emphasized Jack’s contrastingly daredevil spirit. — Heidi Waleson, WSJ, "‘Brokeback Mountain’ Review: Star-Crossed Singing Cowboys," 4 June 2018 As guests entered the grand ballroom following a reception, a duo of aerialists performed daredevil moves on swaths of fabric suspended from the ceiling. — Candace Jordan, chicagotribune.com, "Discovery Ball raises more than $3 million for American Cancer Society," 2 May 2018 Such sad cases sometimes appear accidental and sometimes appear to involve risky daredevil behavior -- but almost always involve alcohol. — Lawrence Specker, AL.com, "Spring break safety: Manage the risks, save the fun," 1 Mar. 2018 Her parents were daredevil journalists in Los Angeles, hanging out of helicopters, sometimes with their daughter in tow, to shoot footage of news events like Madonna’s 1985 wedding to Sean Penn. — Jill Abramson, New York Times, "A Memoir by Donald Trump’s Favorite Target," 12 Sep. 2017 Also advancing were 9-year-old singer Angelica Hale; daredevil skaters Billy and Emily England; and In the Stairwell, an all-male a cappella group from the U.S. Air Force Academy. — Hal Boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "'America's Got Talent': Orlando's Preacher Lawson advances," 16 Aug. 2017 America’s oldest daredevil acrobatic hand balancer’ ... [and] began his act, known as the Tower of Chairs. — Richard Horan, The Christian Science Monitor, "'The Arena' explores America's stadiums and their relation to the national character," 8 Aug. 2017 The style-savvy student at Pacific Ridge School turned her love of fashion and dislike of final exams into a daredevil bet with her history teacher — and won. — Laura Groch, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Student's costumes make the grade for history class," 31 July 2017 Form is hindmost in Lynda Benglis’s impetuous, daredevil art. — Holland Carter, Roberta Smith And Ken Johnson, New York Times, "‘Velvet Rage, Flaming Youth and the Gift of Desperation’," 6 Oct. 2016

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

In his final interview with PEOPLE, Anthony Bourdain opened up about changing his daredevil ways for his 11-year-old daughter Ariane. — Melody Chiu, PEOPLE.com, "Anthony Bourdain Was 'Lighter' Around His Daughter and 'Talked About Her Constantly': Source," 8 June 2018 Most of her shows involve daredevil acts like flying trapezes, dangling from her feet, etc., and this one is no exception. — Chuck Yarborough, cleveland.com, "Pink's evolution likely will be on full display at The Q," 23 Mar. 2018 Motorsports star Travis Pastrana will try to recreate three of legendary daredevil Evel Knievel’s stunts in Las Vegas next month. — Nancy Trejos, USA TODAY, "Motorsports star Travis Pastrana to recreate three Evel Knievel stunts in Las Vegas," 11 June 2018 Motorcycle daredevil Travis Pastrana pulled off an incredible triple feat on Sunday night in Las Vegas by recreating three of late stuntman Evel Knievel’s most famous jumps on live TV. — Gary Gastelu, Fox News, "Travis Pastrana successfully recreates three of Evel Knievel's famous jumps," 10 July 2018 His playing trafficked — to an almost daredevil degree — in extremes of pianissimo. — Jeremy Eichler, BostonGlobe.com, "Tanglewood opens with Bernstein’s exuberance, Lang Lang’s return," 8 July 2018 Anti-scooter activists tend to paint scooter riders as kamikaze daredevils, slaloming through cars and pedestrians. — Kevin Roose, New York Times, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Electric Scooters," 6 June 2018 An array of performances, including the daredevil dance troupe Bandaloop and a celebrity blackjack tournament, marked the official launch of the $200 million hotel. — Meredith Cohn, baltimoresun.com, "The Live Hotel, attached to the Live Casino, marks its grand opening," 11 July 2018 After much fanfare and mounting anticipation, Travis Pastrana successfully honored iconic stuntman Evel Knievel on Sunday, completing three of the late daredevils most famous stunts. — Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE.com, "Evel Knievel Rides Again! Travis Pastrana Completes 3 of Daredevil's Most Famous Jumps," 9 July 2018

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