braver; bravest
1
: having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : having or showing courage
a brave soldier
a brave smile
2
: making a fine show : colorful
brave banners flying in the wind
bravely
adverb
braved; braving
1
: to face or endure with courage
braved the rush-hour traffic to get there
braving the elements
2
obsolete
: to make showy
archaic
: to show courage : to make a brave show
braver
noun
1
[in part borrowed from French, noun derivative of brave brave entry 1]
: one with mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : one who is brave (see brave entry 1)
… none but the brave deserves the fair.—
John Dryden
John Dryden
specifically
: an American Indian warrior
2
archaic
: bravado
Synonyms
Examples of brave in a Sentence
Adjective
She gave us a brave smile.
He lost his brave fight against the disease.
Verb
Thousands of fans braved rush-hour traffic to see the concert.
a soldier who braved enemy fire to rescue her wounded comrade
Recent Examples on the Web
Sam Joseph, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
Opinions on Penny remain sharply divided: some portray the now 26-year-old architecture student as a brave protector, while others see him as a white vigilante who took the life of a troubled Black man in need of assistance.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Nicholas Wyman, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Earlier this week, the actress braved the New York City cold in a timelessly stylish and toasty essential: an oversized cardigan sweater.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 1 June 2024
Today, with inflation running near 100 percent and an economy that could grind to a halt given a structural lack of hard currency, optimism is reserved for the brave.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for brave 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
The Brit made several brave attempts to take the lead while Verstappen fiercely defended – actions from both drivers threatened to venture into the ‘reckless’ category.
—Sam Joseph, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024
Opinions on Penny remain sharply divided: some portray the now 26-year-old architecture student as a brave protector, while others see him as a white vigilante who took the life of a troubled Black man in need of assistance.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
And yes, Native American tribes use cold immersion for their purification ceremonies, while Nordic nations have been braving alternating cold baths and saunas.
—Nicholas Wyman, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Earlier this week, the actress braved the New York City cold in a timelessly stylish and toasty essential: an oversized cardigan sweater.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
Still, Marler braves on; he’s got his team to watch.
—Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 1 June 2024
Today, with inflation running near 100 percent and an economy that could grind to a halt given a structural lack of hard currency, optimism is reserved for the brave.
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for brave
Dictionary Entries Near brave
Cite this Entry
“Brave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brave. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
brave
1 of 3 adjective1
: feeling or displaying no fear : courageous
2
: making a fine show : splendid
brave banners flying in the wind
bravely
adverb
brave
2 of 3 verb
braved; braving
: to face or bear with courage
pioneers who braved the dangers of the frontier
brave
3 of 3 noun
: one who is brave
especially
: a warrior of an Indigenous people of North America
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