daring

1 of 2

adjective

dar·​ing ˈder-iŋ How to pronounce daring (audio)
: venturesomely bold in action or thought
daringly adverb
daringness noun

daring

2 of 2

noun

: venturesome boldness
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 Twilight alum has been taking more daring fashion risks as of late. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 His opening night concerts, including 2021’s performance, which included works by John Adams and Wayne Shorter, featuring Esperanza Spalding and Lines Ballet, were wonderfully daring. Georgia Rowe, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 The film’s daring sensibility is a mix of neo-noir and dark humor, with a bold willingness to go to unexpected places. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Pushing the boundaries of creative censorship, it is still considered Nine Inch Nails’ most daring and uncompromising album. Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024 Gordon will turn 71 next month, and she’s made one of the most daring albums of her career. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Ever Parisian chic and feminine, this new collection is daring and groovily stylish. Allyson Portee, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 In the past the star has experimented with ’60s mod makeup, the Audrey Hepburn aesthetic and even going mascara-free, but her most recent daring look stretched the cat eye to the limit. Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 26 Feb. 2024 Prebble swiftly discovered, however, that the British network airing the show was less daring. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Noun
All the more reason to appreciate Polanski’s self-destructive daring. Armond White, National Review, 14 Feb. 2024 The two bombings required astonishing intelligence-gathering, intricate planning, and extreme daring. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2024 On his new album, The Golden Crystal Kingdom, produced by Shooter Jennings, Emerson leans into his past more than ever before, with a tougher, harder rocking edge that adds an air of daring and mystery to his tales of spiritual displacement. Jeff Gage, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2023 Eating them is relatively uncommon in the United States, though there are plenty of recipes online for the daring. Lawrence Specker | Lspecker@al.com, al, 13 Aug. 2023 All that’s left is to glance over at the faces of your comrades, pale with terror at their own daring. James Robins, The New Republic, 8 Aug. 2023 Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who likes their history with a side of creative daring. Los Angeles Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2023 For the daring and the experienced, the biggest waves can be found during the rainier months of September and October. Steven Casale, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2023 The lunatic daring of Hader reenacting Donald Duck’s Vietnam nightmares at the Weekend Update desk or spending an entire episode of Documentary Now! Erik Adams, Chron, 11 Apr. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1575, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1584, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of daring was in 1575

Dictionary Entries Near daring

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

daring

1 of 2 adjective
dar·​ing
ˈda(ə)r-iŋ,
ˈde(ə)r-
: ready to take risks
daringly adverb

daring

2 of 2 noun
: fearless boldness

More from Merriam-Webster on daring

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