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
Prior to that time, a conservative who dared toss the dirty indictment at his or her opponent would face disapproval from all directions, and, of course, condemnation from the legacy media.
—
Bob Ehrlich, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets will win the offensive boards, and even if Christian Braun struggles from 3 when dared to shoot, Minnesota will have no answer for Nikola Jokic.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
The Rangers laid off his splitter and dared him to throw effective strikes with his fastball.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
For decades, nobody dared to innovate on the soda category.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Churches rang bells, factories blew whistles, and parents hardly dared believe the news.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
The Raptors dared Mitchell to shoot early, with the former Raptors guard scoring the Heat’s first seven points and nine of the team’s first 12.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Interestingly, though, while game presentation issues do tend to draw strong reactions, no one dared criticize Dodgers (and Kings) organist Dieter Ruehle.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Celebs including Chrissy Teigen, John Stamos, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum and more have dared to bare and invited fans inside their shower stall to get a glimpse of their gorgeous getting-ready routines.
—Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
Bob Ehrlich, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets will win the offensive boards, and even if Christian Braun struggles from 3 when dared to shoot, Minnesota will have no answer for Nikola Jokic.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
The Rangers laid off his splitter and dared him to throw effective strikes with his fastball.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
For decades, nobody dared to innovate on the soda category.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Churches rang bells, factories blew whistles, and parents hardly dared believe the news.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
The Raptors dared Mitchell to shoot early, with the former Raptors guard scoring the Heat’s first seven points and nine of the team’s first 12.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
Interestingly, though, while game presentation issues do tend to draw strong reactions, no one dared criticize Dodgers (and Kings) organist Dieter Ruehle.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Celebs including Chrissy Teigen, John Stamos, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum and more have dared to bare and invited fans inside their shower stall to get a glimpse of their gorgeous getting-ready routines.
—Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dared
Verb
-
Quero challenged, and again it was overturned to a strike.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The agency has recently been challenged over changes to vaccines made under HHS Secretary Kennedy.—
Suzanne Nuyen,
NPR,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Before Carter resigned, the board of trustees confronted Carter about a tip from outside the university.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Semafor’s Mohammed Sergie reports on how attitudes towards Iran have changed among Gulf citizens, with many now viewing the country as an enemy to be confronted and contained.—
Nawaf M. Al-Thani,
semafor.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That moment, over a quarter of a century in the making, came in December 2025 when Tiffani McInnis—flanked by supporters—faced her mother's killer in a courtroom.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
During its high-stakes re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, the Orion capsule faced extreme temperatures nearing 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Players were pleasantly surprised by how many fans braved the cold, breezy conditions and 30-degree temperature drop.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Horowitz was one of numerous Variety staffers who braved the Interstate 10 freeway to make the trek out past Palm Springs.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dared. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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