Synonyms of bold

bold

adjective

ˈbōld 

1

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adventurous
• daring
• courageous
• fearless
• brave
• audacious
• gutsy
• hardy
• venturous
• adventuresome
• venturesome
• dashing
• reckless
• enterprising
• impulsive
• nerved
• emboldened
• heroic
• nervy
• gallant
• valiant
• foolish
• free-swinging
• impetuous
• brash
• unafraid
• foolhardy
• stupid
• dauntless
• imprudent
• spirited
• rash
• undaunted
• thoughtless
• dumb
• intrepid
• wild
• silly
• valorous
• incautious
• spunky
• madcap
• heedless
• overconfident
• hasty
• hotheaded
• daredevil
• plucky
• unnecessary
• gritty
• mad
• absurd
• stalwart
• stout
• wacky
• headlong
• overbold
• stouthearted
• idiotic
• swashbuckling
• asinine
• unreasonable
• nutty
• insane
• lionhearted
• irrational
• crazy
• lunatic
• precipitate
• harebrained
• moronic
• witless
• scatterbrained
• greathearted
• brainless
• balmy
• gadarene
• half-witted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• timid
• careful
• cautious
• unadventurous
• coward
• shy
• cowardly
• timorous
• wary
• prudent
• pusillanimous
• milky
• craven
• unenterprising
• afraid
• fearful
• frightened
• heedful
• startled
• overcautious
• scared
• terrified
• reasonable
• alarmed
• wise
• shocked
• sensible
• sound
• chickenhearted
• spooked
• rational
• cool
• horrified
• lily-livered
• calm
• unnerved
• poltroon
• affrighted
• sane
• milk-livered
• overcareful
• sage
• upset
• worried
• fainthearted
• levelheaded
• concerned
• dismayed
• appalled
• terrorized

2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wise
• fresh
• brazen
• audacious
• sassy
• brassy
• impudent
• cheeky
• blunt
• saucy
• brash
• defiant
• assertive
• cocky
• insolent
• bold-faced
• cute
• impertinent
• nervy
• cocksure
• brazen-faced
• arch
• smart
• obtrusive
• disrespectful
• forward
• unabashed
• brassbound
• unblushing
• curt
• shameless
• bluff
• flippant
• flip
• facetious
• mouthy
• pert
• smart-aleck
• lippy
• smart-alecky

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• timid
• meek
• humble
• modest
• shy
• proper
• retiring
• polite
• courteous
• respectful
• mousy
• ashamed
• genteel
• mild
• deferential
• demure
• gentle
• embarrassed
• inconspicuous
• unobtrusive
• mannerly
• abashed
• shamefaced
• blushing

3

as in noticeable

likely to attract attention

an interior decorator who likes to use bold colors

Synonyms & Similar Words

• noticeable
• prominent
• dramatic
• commanding
• remarkable
• impressive
• striking
• marked
• conspicuous
• brilliant
• showy
• emphatic
• flamboyant
• pronounced
• interesting
• outstanding
• eye-catching
• loud
• splashy
• catchy
• visible
• arresting
• noisy
• distinguished
• highlighted
• bodacious
• notable
• glaring
• recognizable
• noteworthy
• salient
• discernible
• kenspeckle
• grabby
• detectable
• perceptible
• ornate
• eminent
• gaudy
• extravagant
• spectacular
• flagrant
• fancy
• flashy
• fascinating
• garish
• observable
• glitzy
• tawdry
• jazzy
• ostentatious
• meretricious
• riveting
• pretentious
• screaming
• swank
• opulent
• enthralling
• engrossing
• absorbing
• florid
• overwrought
• spotlighted
• glittery
• howling
• overdone
• highfalutin

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• subtle
• inconspicuous
• unobtrusive
• unremarkable
• unnoticeable
• hidden
• faint
• obscure
• unemphatic
• concealed
• unshowy
• dim
• unflamboyant
• simple
• insignificant
• modest
• unimportant
• shrouded
• conservative
• plain
• undistinguished
• unaffected
• unassuming
• unpretentious
• understated
• quiet
• subdued
• restrained
• muted
• unflashy
• toned-down

4

as in familiar

showing a lack of proper social reserve or modesty

a bold child who interrupts the adults at his parents' parties

Synonyms & Similar Words

• familiar
• arrogant
• proud
• smug
• immodest
• presumptuous
• selfish
• forward
• overfamiliar
• important
• confident
• brazen
• audacious
• presuming
• sassy
• bumptious
• brassy
• vain
• impudent
• cheeky
• free
• brash
• vainglorious
• bold-faced
• saucy
• cavalier
• haughty
• complacent
• pompous
• conceited
• self-assertive
• uppity
• pretentious
• cocky
• insolent
• prideful
• high-and-mighty
• egomaniacal
• supercilious
• egotistic
• snobbish
• domineering
• fresh
• self-important
• high-hat
• overbold
• boastful
• disdainful
• self-confident
• self-assured
• egoistic
• sure
• superior
• hoity-toity
• highfalutin
• impertinent
• overweening
• pert
• self-satisfied
• self-complacent
• self-conceited
• self-asserting
• lordly
• high-handed
• imperious
• stuck-up
• braggart
• bragging
• self-centered
• self-interested
• self-absorbed
• self-seeking
• self-involved
• brassbound
• self-concerned
• self-engrossed
• self-obsessed
• self-infatuated

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• modest
• unassuming
• humble
• meek
• timid
• unpretentious
• demure
• down-to-earth
• unassertive
• bashful
• lowly
• shy
• timorous
• retiring
• mousy
• diffident
• self-doubting

5

as in steep

having an incline approaching the perpendicular

the advanced climbers chose a bold cliff to test themselves

Synonyms & Similar Words

• steep
• abrupt
• vertical
• sheer
• mountainous
• precipitous
• sloped
• perpendicular
• craggy
• straight
• plumb
• angled
• tilted
• hilly
• slanted
• tipped
• hillocky
• scarped
• heeled
• inclined
• listed
• cocked
• canted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• soft
• gentle
• moderate
• gradual
• smooth
• flat
• horizontal
• even
• level
• flush
• unruffled
• unwrinkled
• plane

6

as in courageous

feeling or displaying no fear by temperament

the bold explorers who will someday journey to other planets

Synonyms & Similar Words

• courageous
• brave
• fearless
• valiant
• heroic
• gallant
• adventurous
• gutsy
• foolish
• dauntless
• undaunted
• intrepid
• impulsive
• manful
• daring
• valorous
• resolute
• stout
• reckless
• stalwart
• stouthearted
• spirited
• lionhearted
• gutty
• determined
• hardy
• Spartan
• unflinching
• undauntable
• doughty
• audacious
• greathearted
• spunky
• brazen
• plucky
• undeterred
• unswerving
• undismayed
• gritty
• mad
• venturous
• game
• impetuous
• adventuresome
• dashing
• venturesome
• brash
• foolhardy
• imprudent
• rash
• hasty
• unafraid
• insane
• thoughtless
• nutty
• gamy
• mettlesome
• wild
• firm
• incautious
• daredevil
• madcap
• heedless
• lunatic
• overconfident
• crazy
• hotheaded
• headlong
• reassured
• encouraged
• emboldened
• overbold
• comforted
• precipitate
• half-witted
• heartened

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• yellow
• timid
• fearful
• coward
• cowardly
• timorous
• dastardly
• pusillanimous
• scary
• craven
• careful
• unheroic
• gutless
• shy
• spineless
• cautious
• anxious
• fainthearted
• diffident
• nervous
• ungallant
• spiritless
• apprehensive
• nerveless
• chicken
• mousy
• afraid
• prudent
• skittish
• uncourageous
• poor-spirited
• frightened
• unadventurous
• startled
• upset
• chickenhearted
• scared
• milk-livered
• weakhearted
• terrified
• lily-livered
• agitated
• heedful
• poltroon
• disturbed
• chicken-livered
• panicked
• perturbed
• unnerved
• shocked
• spooked
• worried
• weak
• horrified
• disconcerted
• concerned
• disquieted
• dismayed
• appalled
• wimpy
• unmanly
• panic-stricken
• terrorized

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bold

According to Dundy, rebellion against their father defined much of the future filmmaker’s life, which unfolded as a struggle for freedom characterized by bold actions and boldface names. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026

The arrival of Marmoush, a springy runner who is dangerous on the break and dynamic with his off-ball movement, helped reinforce a bolder new approach. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Brown Roof Because brown roofs, especially wood shake or architectural shingles, bring a warm, earthy base to a home’s exterior, Soto suggests reaching for tans, warm beiges, or a terracotta tone if the house can handle a bolder statement. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Aug. 2026

The Bliss palette includes Champagne Fizzle (304-1DB), a soft blush tone that brings lightness and ease, and Ribbon Blue (237-7DB), a bold blue that introduces contrast and personality. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 25 Aug. 2026