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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in noticeable

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in steep

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in courageous

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 But the bold irreverence that drew droves of devoted readers to Jezebel brought contention, too. — Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026 The family room opens out to a patio with a bold red-brick surface. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026 Only bold action to reduce fossil fuel use can help halt or reverse this devastation, the authors write. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026 The leaders behind a bold plan to cap Atlanta’s Downtown Connector and build a 17-acre park that can be an economic catalyst for the city’s core are trying again for federal funding. — Amy Wenk, AJC.com, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bold

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bold

Adjective

The island’s allure is often centered around exhilaration—surfing on its west coast and exploring its fathomless forests—yet a calmer current of energy runs alongside this adventurous spirit.

— Adrienne Matei, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
SUVs offered a more adventurous image, available all-wheel drive, greater towing capability in many cases and seemingly endless choices.

— Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of adventurous

Adjective

Maybe there’s an equilibrium that must be restored on this show, relationship-wise.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Anthropic updates its policies to bar users being cruel to Claude, inflaming a debate about whether the company’s concern for ‘model welfare’ is wise.

— Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of wise

Adjective

The research fellow also argued that the additional Russian diesel entering global markets is not sufficient to produce a noticeable reduction in consumer fuel prices in the short term.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
The brand's emblem, which is incorporated into the translucent monoblock LED taillight beneath the seat and is sculpted by the bike's lights themselves, is the most noticeable of all Fragment elements.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of noticeable

Adjective

Sadly, sports reformers across the country have abandoned the hard work of courageous whistleblowers, such as Bensel-Meyers, and now sing the tune of college athlete compensation.

— Bruce Svare, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Being gay was still uncharted territory and their trust, at a time when visibility was dangerous, was courageous.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of courageous

Adjective

At the center of it all is the daring, epic raid on a bank vault deep beneath the streets of Zurich.

— Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
But what begins as a bold and daring attempt to broach progressive issues in a notoriously conservative society ultimately loses its nerve, acquiescing to a number of eyebrow-raising narrative compromises.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of daring

Adjective

Up the street and over a few blocks is Salud Taqueria, from Jesús Méndez and Christina Tellez, which uses fresh-ground masa as a base for its Mexican menu.

— Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
According to Reuters, JPMorgan analysts read the move as an acceleration of barrels already promised, not a fresh intervention.

— Heather Occhino, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of fresh

Browse Nearby Words

boîtes

bold

bold-faced

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bold

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

syncretic

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes