1
as in challenged
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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2
as in confronted
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage
every day the old fisherman dared the elements to make his meager living
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dared
These are the questions that have plagued the American public since the Euphoria and Anyone But You actor dared to gesture toward a blatant superiority as one of the most notable hot people right now.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2025
But there is one pop culture stage on which the Muppets have never dared to venture… until now.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
One man, Lawrence Bergreen, dared to step into the breach and write about Columbus in the way only historians of substance can.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow dared to wear them with formal clothes back then, a forward-looking approach that’s now used all the time on catwalks and in street-style looks.
—Renata Joffre, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2025
In Kenya, President William Ruto, facing increasing pressure to resign, dared his critics to oust him from office before the next elections in 2027.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Prior to 2022, the filmmaker wouldn’t have dared target such a character — to make Eqbal a metonym for the regime.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Roald Dahl made his career writing children’s books that dared to be mean (yes, sometimes in rather unfortunate ways).
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The people Hamas is killing now are just like me — Palestinians who dared to speak.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2025
But there is one pop culture stage on which the Muppets have never dared to venture… until now.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
One man, Lawrence Bergreen, dared to step into the breach and write about Columbus in the way only historians of substance can.
—Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Kate Moss and Gwyneth Paltrow dared to wear them with formal clothes back then, a forward-looking approach that’s now used all the time on catwalks and in street-style looks.
—Renata Joffre, Glamour, 19 Oct. 2025
In Kenya, President William Ruto, facing increasing pressure to resign, dared his critics to oust him from office before the next elections in 2027.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2025
Prior to 2022, the filmmaker wouldn’t have dared target such a character — to make Eqbal a metonym for the regime.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 18 Oct. 2025
Roald Dahl made his career writing children’s books that dared to be mean (yes, sometimes in rather unfortunate ways).
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
The people Hamas is killing now are just like me — Palestinians who dared to speak.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dared
Verb
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As the conversation turned to Haliburton, Antetokounmpo challenged Turner to say three nice things about his former All-Star point guard.—
Darnell Mayberry,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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They’ve been challenged in a competitive landscape as video and broadband customers defect Comcast is now trying hard to right the ship, with some promising signs in the third quarter numbers reported this morning.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As federal agents took the driver of the civilian vehicle into custody, several bystanders confronted them, leading to one or two additional arrests, FOX 32 Chicago reported, citing the police.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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Light pink referenced standard awareness campaigns, but the deepening shades, culminating in black, confronted the audience with the harsh reality of metastatic disease, which is typically softened by glossy pink ribbons.—
Tabitha Britt,
Flow Space,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Air Mail’s fate shows that even the masters of the old form faced major headwinds when trying to navigate the new media landscape.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
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As Ella tries to find her way home, she's faced with the shock of modern technology.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The moment played out on Season 3 of The Traitors, when Sandoval and the other contestants braved a creepy cabin full of singing dolls and had to memorize and perform backwards nursery rhymes.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Heidi Klum braved the inclement weather in New York to ring in Halloween.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dared. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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