daredevil 1 of 2

1
2

daredevil

2 of 2

noun

as in cowboy
a person who seeks out very dangerous or foolhardy adventures with no apparent fear that little daredevil has broken an arm and an ankle this year alone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective daredevil contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of daredevil are adventurous, daring, foolhardy, rash, reckless, and venturesome. While all these words mean "exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense," daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.

daredevil motorcyclists

When would adventurous be a good substitute for daredevil?

The synonyms adventurous and daredevil are sometimes interchangeable, but adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

When could daring be used to replace daredevil?

In some situations, the words daring and daredevil are roughly equivalent. However, daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

When is foolhardy a more appropriate choice than daredevil?

The meanings of foolhardy and daredevil largely overlap; however, foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.

the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Where would rash be a reasonable alternative to daredevil?

Although the words rash and daredevil have much in common, rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

When might reckless be a better fit than daredevil?

The words reckless and daredevil can be used in similar contexts, but reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

In what contexts can venturesome take the place of daredevil?

While the synonyms venturesome and daredevil are close in meaning, venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.

venturesome stunt pilots

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 daredevil
Adjective
Clark cycles through the five stages of grief throughout her performance, snapping at a nurse over the treatment of her son one moment, and then breaking everyone’s hearts by wistfully telling stories of James’ daredevil antics the next. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025 Of course, memories of this viewing come to mind whenever a new video surfaces of a daredevil ski mountaineer descending a massive peak. Outside, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
In autumn, the gorge blazes with fiery foliage, and Bridge Day draws daredevils who BASE-jump from the bridge, 876 feet above the river. Alexandra Gillespie, AFAR Media, 19 Sep. 2025 Butler and Malkovich turn bullying into hambone art, and Isaac magnetizes our sympathy as the daredevil but still relatively civilized Nick, who’s caught in the middle of all this. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for daredevil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daredevil
Adjective
  • Critics lambasted those policies as impractical at best, reckless at worst.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
  • These reckless policies have deadly consequences.
    Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Rae’s dress featured a dramatic deep V neckline and nude illusion mesh straps that create a daring contrast against the gown’s sleek black fabric.
    Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Her nude mani was rounded but with a square tip, which is the perfect mix between elegant and daring.
    Ana Serrano, Glamour, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • McGuane’s cowboys lose fights—for women, for their ranches, for their dreams—and tend to know when they’ve been beaten.
    Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The Call Me By Your Name actor plays an outlaw among a group of travelers in the Old West who team up with a cowboy named Merrick Beckford (Myles Clohessy) on a dangerous journey.
    Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But in Podnieks’ own country, he was celebrated and respected as a rare source of truth telling and courageous reporting on a world that was changing fast.
    Will Tizard, Variety, 2 Nov. 2025
  • What People Are Saying Thanks to the courageous survivors of Epstein's abuse, justice is coming to Andrew.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Her adventurous spirit never dimmed.
    Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Miguel kick-started his career with his adventurous 2012 debut, Kaleidoscope Dream, an LP that mixed rock, soul, and psychedelia into a freewheeling sound he’s been nuancing ever since, often in music that’s taken on a moodier, more anxious tone.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Its depictions of dancing devils and witches’ sabbaths are supposed to scare viewers straight, but writer-director Benjamin Christensen is also sympathetic towards the plight of medieval women persecuted for witchcraft.
    Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The anime series follows a young man who can demolish fellow devils via a pullstring in his chest that transforms parts of his body into chainsaws.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • For me, it’s been really essential to read a lot of great information, and to come at the world filled with knowledge and all these ideas of, in my view, much smarter and braver people than myself.
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
  • For those brave scientists who study snakes–aka herpetologists–the mechanics behind the reptiles’ fast fangs are more fascinating than fear-inducing.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • After all, all 12 signs have a shadow sign, so what better way to call them out than with a slasher, a demon or a dream-stalking madman?
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Its abstraction feels less evasive than connective, demanding engagement with the core fear rather than the distraction of specifics; the threat can no longer be imagined as some specific other — some other government, some other madman.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Daredevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daredevil. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on daredevil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!