boldness

bold·ness
B3O1L1D2N1E1S1S1
US/ˈboʊldnəs/UK/ˈbəʊldnəs/

noun

The state of being bold; courage.

Similar
facedaringhardinesshardihoodnervebrasscheekstrikingness
Opposite
timidity
OriginMiddle English boldnesse →
Less commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

nounboldness (usually uncountable, plural boldnesses)

plural boldnesses

  1. uncountableusuallyThe state of being bold; courage.

    Then he warmed to it, and smoothly set out all his shifts, malices, and treacheries, his extreme boldnesses (he was desperate bold); his retreats, shufflings, and counterfeitings (he was also inconceivably a coward) […]

    1906, Rudyard Kipling, Puck of Pook's Hill
  2. uncountableusuallypresumptuousness

    Synonyms: face

  3. uncountableusuallymediaThe relative weight of a font; the thickness of its strokes.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounpresumptuousness

Similar
face

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe trait of being willing to undertake things that involve risk or danger

Similar
daringhardinesshardihood
Opposite
timidity
Broader
fearlessness

nounimpudent aggressiveness

Similar
nervebrassfacecheek
Broader
aggressiveness

nounthe quality of standing out strongly and distinctly

Similar
strikingness
Broader
conspicuousness
Also see
brashnessbrasscheekchutzpahcouragedaringfacegutsgutsinesshardihoodhardinessheartintrepidityintrepidnessnervepluckstrikingnessyarblesyarblockos

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Englishboldnesse
  2. Englishboldness

From Middle English boldnesse, equivalent to bold + -ness. Cognate with Scots baldness, bauldness (“boldness”).

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian смелост, храброст
  • смелост (smelost)courage
  • храброст (hrabrost)courage
Esperanto maltimo
  • maltimocourage
French audace
  • audacecourage
Greek κουράγιο
  • κουράγιο (kourágio)courage
Hungarian merészség, vonalvastagság
  • merészségcourage
  • vonalvastagságrelative weight of a font
Latin audentia, audācia
  • audentiacourage
  • audāciacourage
Portuguese valentia
  • valentiacourage
Russian смелость
  • смелость (smelostʹ)courage
Scottish Gaelic tapachd
  • tapachdcourage
Spanish osadía, demasía
  • osadíacourage
  • demasíacourage

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

bondless
Cite this entry
APA

boldness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boldness

MLA

“boldness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boldness. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “boldness,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boldness.

Source: boldness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.