daring

1 of 2

adjective

dar·​ing ˈder-iŋ 

: venturesomely bold in action or thought

daringly

ˈder-iŋ-lē 

adverb

daringness noun

daring

2 of 2

noun

: venturesome boldness

Synonyms

Adjective

• adventuresome
• adventurous
• audacious
• bold
• dashing
• emboldened
• enterprising
• free-swinging
• gutsy
• hardy
• nerved
• nervy
• venturesome
• venturous

Noun

• bottle [British slang]
• bravery
• courage
• courageousness
• daringness
• dauntlessness
• doughtiness
• fearlessness
• gallantry
• greatheartedness
• guts
• gutsiness
• hardihood
• heart
• heroism
• intestinal fortitude
• intrepidity
• intrepidness
• moxie
• nerve
• pecker [chiefly British]
• prowess
• stoutness
• valor
• virtue

Choose the Right Synonym for daring

adventurous, venturesome, daring, daredevil, rash, reckless, foolhardy mean exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense.

adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.

venturesome stunt pilots

daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.

daredevil motorcyclists

rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.

the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Examples of daring in a Sentence

Adjective

a daring reporter who has covered several wars

She's a daring innovator in the field of biotechnology.

a daring plan to steal the famous painting

She decided to wear a daring dress to the party.

ideas that are new and daring

the artist's daring use of color

Noun

Skydiving requires both skill and daring.

He performs the trick with the daring of a stuntman.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The television-programming sea, after all, is full of sharks: How daring can Squid 2 be (or afford to be) without falling into the jaws of preposterousness? —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024

This project sounds like the most daring one that’s currently in the works, while also being the most likely to enter production soon. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 21 Dec. 2024

Noun

Challengers prevailed, in a sense, by having both the polish of the former and the daring of the latter. —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

The mixture of tradition and daring also characterizes the spirit of the New York City Ballet. —Ian Malone, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1575, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1584, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

daring

1 of 2 adjective

dar·​ing

ˈda(ə)r-iŋ,

ˈde(ə)r-

: ready to take risks

daringly

-iŋ-lē 

adverb

daring

2 of 2 noun

: fearless boldness