daredevil

1 of 2

adjective

dare·​dev·​il ˈder-ˌde-vᵊl 

: recklessly and often ostentatiously daring

daredevil

2 of 2

noun

: a recklessly bold person

daredevilry

ˈder-ˌde-vᵊl-rē 

noun

daredeviltry

ˈder-ˌde-vᵊl-trē 

noun

Synonyms

Adjective

• audacious
• brash
• foolhardy
• madcap
• overbold
• overconfident
• reckless
• temerarious

Noun

• devil
• madcap
• madman

Choose the Right Synonym for daredevil

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

This summer, as his daredevil character Ethan Hunt, Cruise will be driving a Jeep. —Liam Rappleye, USA Today, 22 May 2025

Tom Cruise continues to defy death — and all expectations — with his daredevil stunts. —Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 14 May 2025

Noun

Watching Secret Mall Apartment, I was reminded at times of James Marsh’s Man on Wire (2008), about Philippe Petit’s 1974 daredevil tightrope walk between the towers of the World Trade Center. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025

This daredevil raccoon pulled itself up onto the top power line and used only that to slink across. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1727, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1794, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for daredevil

• multilevel
• bevel
• devil
• level
• mediaeval
• sublevel

Kids Definition

daredevil

noun

dare·​dev·​il

ˈda(ə)r-ˌdev-əl,

ˈde(ə)r-

: a recklessly bold person

daredevil adjective