bold

/boʊld/
adjectiveBeginner
general

Showing a willingness to take risks; confident and daring

The artist took a bold approach to her latest painting.

The artist used unconventional techniques in her latest painting.

He made a bold statement with his speech.

He spoke confidently and directly about controversial topics.

💡

Can be used to describe actions, statements, or styles that are confident and daring.

general

Having a strong, noticeable appearance; thick or prominent

The text was printed in bold for emphasis.

The text was made thicker and darker to stand out.

She has bold features.

She has strong, noticeable facial features.

💡

In typography, bold refers to a thicker, darker font style.

Collocations

bold movea confident and daring actionbold statementa confident and direct declarationbold colorsbright, noticeable colors

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

bold as brassidiom
very confident and daring
boldfacephrase
a typeface that is thicker and darker

💡Pro Tip

Context Matters

The meaning of 'bold' can vary depending on context. In typography, it refers to a font style, while in general usage, it describes confidence or daring.

Gold Rule

Positive Connotation

'Bold' generally has a positive connotation, describing confidence and daring. However, it can sometimes imply recklessness.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'bold', from Old English 'beald', meaning 'bold, brave, confident'. Related to Old Norse 'bálr' and Old High German 'balz'.

📝Usage Notes

Can be used to describe both actions and appearances. In typography, 'bold' refers to a thicker, darker font style.

Word Breakdown

bold
confident and daring
root
English Dictionary