: strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness : personal bravery
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When Should You Use valor?
Valor in uniform is still rewarded by medals. Many American civic organizations award a Medal of Valor for physical courage, and the Air Force Medal of Honor displays the single word "Valor". The somewhat old-fashioned adjective valorous more often describes warriors of the past. But valiant is still in common use, though it less often describes military courage than other kinds of bravery or effort.
Synonyms
Examples of valor in a Sentence
The soldiers received the nation's highest award for valor.
the absence of indecision even in the face of death is the true mark of valor
Recent Examples on the Web
He had been awarded a Bronze Star for valor and had won numerous other medals during his time in the Marines, including two Marine Purple Heart medals.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
He was awarded a Bronze Star with valor after a battle in Mosul, Iraq, in 2005, in which he was shot multiple times but continued to fight alongside his troops.
—Courtney Kube, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024
The philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a father of German nationalism, even accused Europeans of deliberately keeping German lands fragmented—the better to enlist German valor for their own conquests.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Some of the Medal of Honor recipients at Wounded Knee also appear to have failed to meet the requirements of valor of their day, according to Mears.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2024
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David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
He was awarded a Bronze Star with valor after a battle in Mosul, Iraq, in 2005, in which he was shot multiple times but continued to fight alongside his troops.
—Courtney Kube, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024
The philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a father of German nationalism, even accused Europeans of deliberately keeping German lands fragmented—the better to enlist German valor for their own conquests.
—Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Some of the Medal of Honor recipients at Wounded Knee also appear to have failed to meet the requirements of valor of their day, according to Mears.
—Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for valor
Dictionary Entries Near valor
Cite this Entry
“Valor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/valor. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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valor
noun
val·or
ˈval-ər 
: personal bravery in the face of danger
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