bold

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: fearless before danger : intrepid
bold settlers on some foreign shoreWilliam Wordsworth
b
: showing or requiring a fearless daring spirit
a bold plan
2
: impudent, presumptuous
punishing a bold child for talking back
If I may be so bold, I'd like to make a few suggestions.
3
obsolete : assured, confident
4
: sheer, steep
bold cliffs
5
: adventurous, free
a bold thinker
6
: standing out prominently
bold headlines
7
: being or set in boldface
bold lettering
boldly adverb
boldness noun

bold

2 of 2

noun

: boldface
printed in bold

Examples of bold in a Sentence

Adjective Few politicians have been bold enough to oppose the plan to cut taxes. It's a bold plan that might fail. Hiring a novice was a bold move. He punished the bold child for talking back. I'd like to offer a few criticisms, if I may be so bold. She wore a dress with bold stripes. The painting is done in bold colors.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Made in equal parts as Ensslin originally conceived it, the Green Chartreuse utterly dominates the experience, but back down the liqueur and boost the other two ingredients a touch, and the Tipperary is a bold but charming drink. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2024 Online, creators make bold claims about why their showering habit of choice is best, with some even arguing that science backs up their preference. Korin Miller, Health, 16 Mar. 2024 Consider it an evolution of the bold red that’s been dominating of late, and smart move to buy into now as burgundy accessories will continue to trend throughout 2024. Madeline Fass, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024 In this traditional blue and white bedroom, fun orange adds a bold accent. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2024 The decor for the remodeled guestrooms, which previously had a nautical theme embellished with bold red, white and Navy blue accents, now has a more tranquil, coastal vibe, much like the rest of the property. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Mar. 2024 Her excellent new Eternal Sunshine is a bold personal statement, with her most inventive, pained, reflective songs. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 13 Mar. 2024 Kyiv has staged increasingly bold attacks behind the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line running through eastern and southern Ukraine. Jim Heintz and Hanna Arhirova, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 The early scenes, rendered in black-and-white, were bold, bombastic, spectacular—conversations turned into dance sequences at the drop of a hat. Maya Binyam, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Noun
This is the startup odyssey, a voyage not for the timid but for the bold who dare to dream differently. Ranghan Venkatraman, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 His return bolds well for Hunter Henry (ADP: 260) as well. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023 Danne recounted his strategy, which, to a room of designers, felt test-pilot bold. Robert Sullivan, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 The last time Bill O’Brien was the offensive coordinator for the Patriots, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez combined for 169 receptions (on 237 targets), 2,237 yards and 24 touchdowns — O’Brien’s return bolds well for Hunter Henry (NE) and Mike Gesicki (NE). Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2023 Fortune favors the bold. Anto Dotcom, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2022 And fortune favors the bold. Jiayang Fan, The New Yorker, 10 June 2022 In this case, fortune favors the bold. Abhi Rahman, CNN, 5 May 2022 Second, fortune favors the bold. Mike Kerrigan, WSJ, 4 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Old English beald; akin to Old High German bald bold

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bold was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bold

Cite this Entry

“Bold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bold. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bold

adjective
ˈbōld
1
a
: willing to meet danger or take risks : daring
b
: showing daring spirit
a bold plan
2
3
: steep entry 1 sense 1
bold cliffs
4
: standing out in a very noticeable way : conspicuous
bold colors
5
: being or set in boldface
bold letters
boldly
ˈbōl-(d)lē
adverb
boldness
ˈbōl(d)-nəs
noun

Medical Definition

BOLD

abbreviation
blood oxygenation level-dependent; blood oxygen level-dependent

Note: BOLD is used to describe imaging signals and methods that measure changes in the magnetic properties of hemoglobin accompanying changes in blood oxygen levels. BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging is dependent on oxygen levels and is used especially in the study of brain function to produce images showing blood flow indicative of neural activity.

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