daring 1 of 3

daring

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noun

daring

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verb

present participle of dare

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective daring contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of daring are adventurous, daredevil, foolhardy, rash, reckless, and venturesome. While all these words mean "exposing oneself to danger more than required by good sense," daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

When is it sensible to use adventurous instead of daring?

The meanings of adventurous and daring largely overlap; however, adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

In what contexts can daredevil take the place of daring?

Although the words daredevil and daring have much in common, daredevil stresses ostentation in daring.

daredevil motorcyclists

When can foolhardy be used instead of daring?

In some situations, the words foolhardy and daring are roughly equivalent. However, foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.

the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

When is rash a more appropriate choice than daring?

The synonyms rash and daring are sometimes interchangeable, but rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

When would reckless be a good substitute for daring?

The words reckless and daring are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

When could venturesome be used to replace daring?

While the synonyms venturesome and daring are close in meaning, venturesome implies a jaunty eagerness for perilous undertakings.

venturesome stunt pilots

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of daring
Adjective
Meanwhile, Neptune in Aries heightens intuitive and creative visions, fueling the imagination with ideas that are fresh and daring. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 June 2025 Jaws was criticized for shepherding Hollywood out of the daring age of the late sixties and early seventies into a more impersonal multiplex age, but that’s not the film’s fault: That’s just a measure of how amazing an achievement Jaws actually was. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
Noun
There’s an existential premise at work regarding the socially destructive power of technology, and Tregenza, having dropped hints along the way, eventually reveals it with an artistic shock of enormous daring. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025 Peeking above aquamarine waves that hide the world's second-largest barrier reef, Belize's Ambergris Caye first emerged as a destination for the daring. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2025
Verb
But the polesitter was in no mood to finish third, immediately regaining the lead with a daring overtake to set the tone for the sprint. Reuters, 29 Mar. 2025 If anything, becoming a weird little guy, by my definition, is about rejecting the despair that leads down those kinds of regressive paths, and daring to care about something, even — and perhaps especially — if that something might seem kind of dumb or trivial to the outside world. James Factora, Them., 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for daring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daring
Adjective
  • Memorable, inventive, and fully deserving of its place on the list, this one’s for the adventurous.
    Lela London, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • There have been conflicts between rideshare drivers and taxis in the past, so consider sticking with a reputable taxi or car service, However, the more adventurous can rent a car to explore nearby cenotes, ruins, and regional highlights.
    Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • Ethical Memory Vault: A secure story engine that records acts of moral courage—feeding these back into leadership training, AI models and onboarding systems.
    Shekar Natarajan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • Hutchins later credited Jenner with giving her the courage to make the same transition.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 265, which went on an historic two-and-a-half week strike in March after negotiations for a new contract broke down, had filed a petition with the Sixth District Court of Appeal on April 1, challenging the ruling of the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
    Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Today big tech is aggressively challenging long-standing legal protections in copyright law, in intellectual property, fair data practices and data privacy protections.
    Hessie Jones, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The world’s multilateral architecture is the best mechanism humanity has for confronting existential transnational threats.
    Allison Carnegie, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Any return to play in England would entail Henderson confronting the subject again.
    Michael Walker, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • In a city where so many big plans have gone so badly for 30 years, San Diego residents shouldn’t just be wary when another bold proposal comes long — they should be terrified.
    U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2025
  • And Los Angeles needs bold, systemic reform to meet the moment.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • Her bravery, poise, and care are an example to not only her campers but to all of us.
    David Chiu, People.com, 7 July 2025
  • For her bravery, she was later honored as Righteous Among the Nations.
    Linda Ambrus Broenniman, Baltimore Sun, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • Her team, down seven and facing its largest deficit of the night, went from smiling and finding easy buckets to straight-faced and struggling to find a rhythm.
    Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Rabbi Eliyahu Fink, a prominent and empathetic voice on contemporary issues facing Jews in the Orthodox world, died early Friday morning in a car accident on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey.
    Jackie Hajdenberg, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar applauded its brave storytelling.
    Olivia Pinnock, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • The mayor and the county commissioners should join us and be brave with us.
    Sister Ann Kendrick, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Daring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daring. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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