Bold vs. Brave — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
Bold refers to audacity or a willingness to take risks; Brave means having courage to face danger or adversity.
Difference Between Bold and Brave
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Bold often describes someone's audacity or willingness to take risks without necessarily facing immediate danger. It can relate to actions, decisions, or even a style that stands out. On the other hand, Brave refers to the quality of facing and enduring danger, pain, or difficult situations with courage. It's more about confronting fear or challenges head-on.
Bold can be used to describe actions that might not involve any physical danger but are unconventional or unexpected. For example, a bold fashion choice might stand out but not necessarily involve any risk. Brave, however, often involves some level of threat or challenge. For instance, a soldier facing combat is brave.
Bold can also be tied to someone's demeanor or appearance. Someone might have a bold presence or make a bold statement, drawing attention or making an impact without necessarily displaying courage. Brave focuses more on the inner strength or fortitude someone shows when confronted with challenging situations.
In essence, Bold can be thought of as being striking or prominent, whether in behavior, appearance, or decisions. Brave, on the other hand, is about having the heart and courage to endure tough situations, often involving risks or threats.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Demonstrating audacity or willingness to take risks.
Displaying courage in the face of danger or adversity.
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Context
Can be non-physical, like choices or statements.
Often involves a level of physical or emotional threat.
Grammatical Usage
Can be used as a noun, adjective, or verb.
Primarily used as an adjective or noun.
Synonyms
Daring, audacious, striking.
Courageous, valiant, fearless.
Associated Connotations
More related to being noticeable or unconventional.
More related to courage and facing challenges.
Compare with Definitions
Bold
Clear, vivid, and easy to see.
The artist used bold colors in his painting.
Brave
Enduring or facing unpleasant conditions.
She was brave to stand up against the injustice.
Bold
Fearless and daring; courageous
A bold leader.
Brave
A Native American warrior.
The brave defended his tribe with honor.
Bold
Requiring or exhibiting courage or daring
A bold voyage to unknown lands.
Brave
Possessing or displaying courage.
Bold
Unduly forward and brazen; impudent
A bold, sassy child.
Brave
Making a fine display; impressive or showy
“a coat of brave red lipstick on a mouth so wrinkled that it didn't even have a clear outline” (Anne Tyler).
Bold
Strikingly different or unconventional; arresting or provocative
"[He] laid out a bold, new vision for America's leading universities" (Jerome Karabel).
Brave
Excellent; great
“The Romans were like brothers / In the brave days of old” (Thomas Macaulay).
Bold
Clear and distinct to the eye; conspicuous
Bold colors.
A bold pattern.
Brave
(used with a pl. verb) People who exhibit bravery or courage considered as a group
“O'er the land of the free / And the home of the brave” (Francis Scott Key).
Bold
Strong or pronounced; prominent
The bold flavor of ginger.
Brave
(Offensive) A Native American warrior.
Bold
Steep or abrupt in grade or terrain
"The two walk along the high, bold, rocky shore" (Harriet Beecher Stowe).
Brave
(Archaic) A bully.
Bold
(Printing) Boldface.
Brave
To endure or face courageously
“He remained in his tent on inclement mornings while others in the party braved the rain ... looking for birds” (Bert O. States). “Together they would brave Satan and all his legions” (Emily Brontë).
Bold
(obsolete) A dwelling; habitation; building.
Brave
(Obsolete) To make showy or splendid.
Bold
Courageous, daring.
Bold deeds win admiration and, sometimes, medals.
Brave
To make a courageous show or put up a stalwart front.
Bold
Visually striking; conspicuous.
The painter's bold use of colour and outline
Brave
Strong in the face of fear; courageous.
Bold
Having thicker strokes than the ordinary form of the typeface.
The last word of this sentence is bold.
Brave
(obsolete) Having any sort of superiority or excellence.
Bold
Presumptuous, forward or impudent.
Brave
Making a fine show or display.
Bold
(Ireland) Naughty; insolent; badly-behaved.
All of her children are terribly bold and never do as they are told.
Brave
Foolish or unwise.
Bold
Full-bodied.
Brave
(dated) A Native American warrior.
Bold
(Philippines) Pornographic; depicting nudity.
Brave
(obsolete) A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.
Bold
Steep or abrupt.
Brave
(obsolete) A challenge; a defiance; bravado.
Bold
(transitive) To make (a font or some text) bold.
Brave
(transitive) To encounter with courage and fortitude, to defy, to provoke.
After braving tricks on the high-dive, he braved a jump off the first diving platform.
Bold
To make bold or daring.
Brave
To adorn; to make fine or showy.
Bold
To become bold or brave.
Brave
Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; - opposed to cowardly; as, a brave man; a brave act.
Bold
Forward to meet danger; venturesome; daring; not timorous or shrinking from risk; brave; courageous.
Throngs of knights and barons bold.
Brave
Having any sort of superiority or excellence; - especially such as in conspicuous.
Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.
It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall.
Bold
Exhibiting or requiring spirit and contempt of danger; planned with courage; daring; vigorous.
Brave
Making a fine show or display.
Wear my dagger with the braver grace.
For I have gold, and therefore will be brave.In silks I'll rattle it of every color.
Frog and lizard in holiday coatsAnd turtle brave in his golden spots.
Bold
In a bad sense, too forward; taking undue liberties; over assuming or confident; lacking proper modesty or restraint; rude; impudent.
Thou art too wild, too rude and bold of voice.
Brave
A brave person; one who is daring.
The star-spangled banner, O,long may it waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Bold
Somewhat overstepping usual bounds, or conventional rules, as in art, literature, etc.; taking liberties in composition or expression; as, the figures of an author are bold.
The cathedral church is a very bold work.
Brave
Specifically, an Indian warrior.
Bold
Standing prominently out to view; markedly conspicuous; striking the eye; in high relief.
Shadows in painting . . . make the figure bolder.
Brave
A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.
Hot braves like thee may fight.
Bold
Steep; abrupt; prominent.
Where the bold cape its warning forehead rears.
Brave
A challenge; a defiance; bravado.
Demetrius, thou dost overween in all;And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
Bold
To make bold or daring.
Brave
To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare.
These I can brave, but those I can not bear.
Bold
To be or become bold.
Brave
To adorn; to make fine or showy.
Thou [a tailor whom Grunio was browbeating] hast braved meny men; brave not me; I'll neither be faced or braved.
Bold
A typeface with thick heavy lines
Brave
A North American Indian warrior
Bold
Fearless and daring;
Bold settlers on some foreign shore
A bold speech
A bold adventure
Brave
People who are brave;
The home of the free and the brave
Bold
Clear and distinct;
Bold handwriting
A figure carved in bold relief
A bold design
Brave
Face or endure with courage;
She braved the elements
Bold
Very steep; having a prominent and almost vertical front;
A bluff headland
Where the bold chalk cliffs of England rise
A sheer descent of rock
Brave
Possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching;
Familiarity with danger makes a brave man braver but less daring
A frank courageous heart...triumphed over pain
Set a courageous example by leading them safely into and out of enemy-held territory
Bold
Very confident and willing to take risks.
She made a bold move to start her own company.
Brave
Invulnerable to fear or intimidation;
Audacious explorers
Fearless reporters and photographers
Intrepid pioneers
Bold
Strikingly different or unconventional; noticeable.
He wore a bold tie to the interview.
Brave
Brightly colored and showy;
Girls decked out in brave new dresses
Brave banners flying
`braw' is a Scottish word
A dress a bit too gay for her years
Birds with gay plumage
Bold
A typeface with thick strokes.
Use bold for the headings in the document.
Brave
Having courage and facing danger or difficulty without fear.
The brave firefighter rescued the child from the burning building.
Bold
To make a portion of text thicker to stand out.
I will bold the important points in the document.
Brave
Admirable; worthy.
It was a brave attempt at the world record.
Brave
To face something with courage.
He decided to brave the storm and continue driving.
Common Curiosities
Is every bold action also brave?
Not necessarily. A bold action may be daring but not always in the face of danger or adversity.
Can "brave" be used as a verb?
Yes, as in "to brave the storm," meaning to face it courageously.
Can "bold" describe someone's character?
Yes, someone with a daring or audacious personality can be described as bold.
What's the noun form of "brave"?
"Bravery" is the noun form, and "brave" can also be a noun referring to a Native American warrior.
Can an animal be described as "brave"?
Yes, if an animal faces danger without showing fear, it can be termed brave.
Is "bold" only used in the context of appearance?
No, "bold" can also refer to actions or choices, indicating audacity or risk-taking.
Can "bold" be used to describe text formatting?
Yes, text can be made "bold" to stand out, meaning it's thicker or more noticeable.
Is every brave action also bold?
Not always. A brave action involves courage, but it might not be striking or noticeable.
Can a color be described as "bold"?
Yes, vibrant and striking colors can be described as bold.
Which is stronger: being bold or being brave?
They have different contexts. Being brave typically involves more inner courage, while being bold may involve risk-taking without danger.
Can a color be described as "brave"?
Not typically. "Brave" generally refers to courage rather than appearance.
Is "boldly" the adverb form of "bold"?
Yes, "boldly" describes doing something in a bold manner.
Do "bold" and "brave" have the same etymology?
No, "bold" comes from Old English "beald", while "brave" has roots in Italian "bravo" and Spanish "bravo".
What's the opposite of "brave"?
"Cowardly" is an antonym for "brave."
How is "bold" used in a computing context?
"Bold" can refer to text formatting where characters are thicker and more prominent.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
