dared

past tense of dare
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

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 dared Thor would have dared the rioters to come closer, then kicked their collective butts. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 President Ronald Reagan dared wear brown suits, and he was declared fashion-forward. Robin Givhan, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026 By contrast, Hamas’ strategy was to put its own civilians in harm’s way by building a tunnel system under cities that dared Israel to kill civilians in order to get to Hamas’ warriors. Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2026 Many a middle-schooler has had to play tetherball, but how many dared to add bees to the mix? Tim Grierson, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026 When Guggenheim summoned contestants to the starting line on the first day of June outside City Hall in Manhattan, only four car companies – Acme, Ford, Shawmut, and Itala – dared to show up. Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026 This is far from the first time the model has dared to share a playful nude moment on social media. Meg Walters, InStyle, 3 Aug. 2026 The pair found that the earliest someone dared to grow it in Florida was in the 1920s, when rare fruit collector Wallace Johnston took a stab. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026 Even so, a generally militant atmosphere prevailed, and few dared admit to harboring more conservative views. Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dared
Verb
  • At the time, Bishop was a 30-year incumbent who was being challenged by Republican developer Chris West in southwest Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District.
    Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike York, Kraft challenged the charges, arguing that the evidence against him was inadmissible.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Surveillance video from the Cedar Glenn complex showed Brunson, Newman, and another unnamed co-defendant jumping a fence, approaching a Chevrolet Suburban, and fleeing after being confronted by a witness.
    Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Pursued by monstrous entities and confronted by manifestations of human suffering, Dante and Virgil will eventually come face to face with the Devil himself.
    Ed Meza, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • El-Sayed has taken heat from some in his party over his associations with Piker, the left-wing streamer whose comments about American Jews have faced intense criticism in recent days.
    Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • An inquest opened Wednesday into the sudden death earlier this month of Jason Arday, a Cambridge University professor who faced a storm of plagiarism accusations.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Herlacher braved the falling debris and panicked people running through the streets to help her and was horrified to find the fragment had cut through her back.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Fans braved the heat to catch the quintet’s 3 pm performance.
    Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dared. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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