bravery

noun

brav·​ery ˈbrāv-rē How to pronounce bravery (audio)
ˈbrā-və-
plural braveries
1
: the quality or state of having or showing mental or moral strength to face danger, fear, or difficulty : the quality or state of being brave : courage
showing bravery under fire
2
a
: fine clothes
wearing their Sunday bravery
b
: showy display
… the streets strewed with flowers and full of pageantry, banners, and bravery.John Evelyn

Examples of bravery in a Sentence

He received a medal for bravery. children in their Sunday bravery
Recent Examples on the Web Some people, whether from cowardice or an excess of bravery, refuse to break it even to themselves. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024 The movie also deals with universal feelings of trust, bravery, and forgiveness. Akruti Babaria, Parents, 5 Mar. 2024 This May 23, 2022 ordeal was never widely known to the public until Thursday, when Zarate was recognized for his bravery by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, which presented him its perennial Courage Award named after former prosecutor Karyn Sinunu-Towery. Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024 For more than a century along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, hundreds of men — many loaded on rum and beer — have crammed into rickety wooden coliseums to test their bravery with the bulls. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 The actress rose to fame portraying Brienne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, a female knight known for her bravery, loyalty and fighting skills, but in real life, Christie loves getting in touch with her sartorial side. Katie Mannion, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024 Such a combination of fallibility and hyper-exposure seems like all the more reason to celebrate the enduring and deeply human bravery of live performance. Marc Hogan, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2024 For her bravery, she was later awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2024 The journey of uncovering, scrutinizing, and broadening your mental models is continuous, demanding consistent effort, a curious mind, and the bravery to question and modify your ingrained beliefs. Kathy Miller Perkins, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bravery.' 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

borrowed from Middle French braverie "bravado, challenge, audacity," from braver "to challenge, flout, brave entry 2" + -erie -ery

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bravery was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near bravery

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

bravery

noun
brav·​ery ˈbrāv-(ə-)rē How to pronounce bravery (audio)
plural braveries
1
: the quality or state of being brave : fearlessness
2
a
: fine clothes
b
: impressive or showy display

More from Merriam-Webster on bravery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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