BOLD Synonyms: 439 Similar and Opposite Words

bold

adjective

ˈbōld

Definition of bold

as in adventurous

inclined or willing to take risks our youngest brother was the boldest one in the family, instantly taking to everything from skiing to skateboarding

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wise

displaying or marked by rude boldness you're a bold little brat for trying to steal my stuff while I'm right here

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in noticeable

likely to attract attention an interior decorator who likes to use bold colors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in familiar

showing a lack of proper social reserve or modesty a bold child who interrupts the adults at his parents' parties

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in steep

having an incline approaching the perpendicular the advanced climbers chose a bold cliff to test themselves

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in courageous

feeling or displaying no fear by temperament the bold explorers who will someday journey to other planets

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of bold The outside world sees the bold idea, the discovery, the technology that appears to change what’s possible. — Kristofer Mussar, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026 As for jewelry pieces, the actress, naturally, wore pieces by Bulgari, including a Serpenti bracelet and a statement Serpenti necklace with a bold gemstone. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026 But when looking past the graphic dismemberment and the bolder, bloodier presentation, the game underneath the violence is simply mediocre. — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026 The sun shone bold and bright, and a lone cotton cloud drifted across the bluest of blue skies drawing my attention away from the mourners at the graveside. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bold

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bold

Adjective

Vindell, who was wearing a green four-leaf clover T-shirt to honor McHugh, remembered her cousin as someone who was adventurous and always smiling.

— Miles J. Herszenhorn, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Dora the Explorer Across eight increasingly adventurous seasons, Dora the Explorer taught us that active participation was not only cool but often the key to unlocking life’s great secrets.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of adventurous

Adjective

Kansas City slumped to a 6-11 finish in 2025, but the Kansas City defense remained in the top 10 and points and yards allowed league-wise.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
Fernando Guerra, a professor at Loyola Marymount University, told my colleague Noah Goldberg that Raman might be wise not to simply focus on capturing the Pratt vote.

— Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of wise

Adjective

If Taron Johnson and the secondary hold up against complex passing schemes, the unit should take a noticeable leap in efficiency.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Separate data from Indeed’s Job Postings Index also shows a seasonal ramp-up that is noticeable around Labor Day and the weeks that follow.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of noticeable

Adjective

That could still be possible even if White does not play at Portman Road tomorrow night, but his early substitution at the Stadium of Light felt a bit too familiar.

— Art de Roché, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
If this was the case, Hodge realized, experts could continue their calculations using familiar algebraic structures instead of struggling with the triangles.

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of familiar

Adjective

For people feeling strapped by steep costs, the 60/30/10 budget can offer a more forgiving framework to follow.

— Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 7 Sep. 2026
Putin, for his part, did not publicly signal any movement from his previous steep demands, which seek major concessions from Ukraine.

— Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of steep

Adjective

Fine publicly praised his wife following her testimony, describing her as strong and courageous in a statement read outside the courthouse by attorney Douglas Wigdor.

— Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Why Jaissle and ‘vertical, attacking football’ If bringing in eight players under 24 was courageous, opting for a 38-year-old head coach who had never managed in Europe’s top-five leagues was extremely bold.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of courageous

Adjective

From classic works to recent and more structurally daring standouts, historical fiction remains one of writing’s most popular forms.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
Bob Mackie, the legendary costume designer behind some of pop culture’s most dazzling—and daring—fashion moments, has passed at 87.

— Amanda Le, InStyle, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of daring

Adjective

But with the newer franchises, the deepest wounds are still fresh, so unlike Kim Zolciak and Nene, opposing parties in those cities are having a harder time celebrating the sisterhood of it all.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Back then, Canales was a fresh-faced teenager who was seen as the future of Spanish football.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of fresh

Browse Nearby Words

boîtes

bold

bold-faced

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Bold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bold. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of bold

adjective

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