emboldened

adjective

em·​bold·​ened im-ˈbōl-dənd 

: made bold or bolder : instilled with boldness, courage, or resolution

"This is the way it's gonna be," Stoddard announced. He had reason to feel emboldened. So far, Tom Murphy and Dan Burke had backed his every decision.

—Ken Auletta

If the participant moves toward the creature, it avoids contact. But if the person doesn't move, the emboldened sprite edges closer and finally lands on an outstretched hand.

—Ivars Peterson

Synonyms of emboldened

• adventurous
• daring
• bold
• courageous
• brave
• fearless

Examples of emboldened in a Sentence

not too surprisingly, rock climbing tends to attract the more emboldened seekers of outdoor adventure

Recent Examples on the Web

On Emotional Junglist, Nia simultaneously accesses a new, emboldened register, and pushes jungle music into fresh, vulnerable territory. — Will Pritchard, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

Working within such a coalition, activists can now feel more emboldened to do the truly necessary work of helping liberate Palestine once and for all. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

These two realities—of emboldened puritanism and abundant openness—clash in confounding ways. — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026

Sunday on Centre Court, Sinner defended his Wimbledon title, fending off an emboldened Alexander Zverev after dropping the first set to win 6-7(2), 7-6(7), 6-3, 6-4. — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1569, in the meaning defined above