DARE Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

dare

verb

ˈder

Definition of dare

as in to challenge

to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat I dare you to repeat that to my face! he dared his friend to race to the end of the block

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to confront

to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage every day the old fisherman dared the elements to make his meager living

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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 dare Los Angeles‘s hillside neighborhoods are dotted with daring residences by architect Jeffrey Eyster’s Atelier Eyster. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2026 Or will the Seahawks load the box and play the run, daring Patrick Mahomes to test them over the top. — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026 With the Hornets’ defense daring the Heat to make threes, the paint was clogged for Antetokounmpo. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026 Beirut City Pop, the latest compilation by archival label Habibi Funk, tells the story of the artists who dared to imagine a life beyond war. — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dare

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dare

Verb

During the state elections in 1967, Jagdish Master, a teacher turned activist, challenged the veto of the landlords over Dalit suffrage by escorting a group of Dalits to a polling booth in Ekwari, a village in Bihar’s Bhojpur district.

— Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
The ban passed in April 2025 and is being challenged by a group of educators, students, parents and activists who say the law violates their 1st and 14th Amendment rights.

— Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of challenge

Verb

Moreover, even robust Democratic majorities would need to confront the significant divisions that persist — and may be growing — in their ranks.

— Ron Elving, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026
Orlando’s response to the displays at the Kia Center showed a willingness to confront hate.

— Linda Chapin, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of confront

Verb

But the company’s stock has gone nowhere over the past two years, as Instacart struggled to find new paths to growth while facing increasing competition from Amazon and Walmart’s grocery-delivery offerings.

— Rob Wile, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026
Oversized windows invite the ocean into the rooms, especially in the sea-facing Janeiro Suite, where the bed, an enormous glass-box shower, and the freestanding bathtub all face the Atlantic.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of face

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dappling

dare

dared

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Style

“Dare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dare. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of dare

verb

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