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daredevil

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noun

as in cowboy
a person who seeks out very dangerous or foolhardy adventures with no apparent fear that little daredevil has broken an arm and an ankle this year alone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective daredevil contrast with its synonyms?

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

daredevil motorcyclists

When would adventurous be a good substitute for daredevil?

The synonyms adventurous and daredevil are sometimes interchangeable, but adventurous implies a willingness to accept risks but not necessarily imprudence.

adventurous pioneers

When could daring be used to replace daredevil?

In some situations, the words daring and daredevil are roughly equivalent. However, daring implies fearlessness in courting danger.

daring mountain climbers

When is foolhardy a more appropriate choice than daredevil?

The meanings of foolhardy and daredevil largely overlap; however, foolhardy suggests a recklessness that is inconsistent with good sense.

the foolhardy sailor ventured into the storm

Where would rash be a reasonable alternative to daredevil?

Although the words rash and daredevil have much in common, rash suggests imprudence and lack of forethought.

a rash decision

When might reckless be a better fit than daredevil?

The words reckless and daredevil can be used in similar contexts, but reckless implies heedlessness of probable consequences.

a reckless driver

In what contexts can venturesome take the place of daredevil?

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

venturesome stunt pilots

Examples 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 daredevil
Adjective
Her new boyfriend is daredevil LAPD cop Alex Shaw (Jason Patric). Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024 Famed daredevil Evil Knievel bought one, which sold a few years later to New York Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson. Brett Berk, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
At day’s end, legions gather to watch the sunset as daredevils leap from the Black Rock Beach boulders to the sea. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2024 The scoring system rewards both daredevils and technicians, but the best in the world make the toughest skills look easy. Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 30 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for daredevil 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daredevil
Adjective
  • Tyrone Rogers, 17, pleaded guilty Monday to armed robbery, attempted armed robbery as a party to a crime, first-degree reckless endangering safety and driving or operating a vehicle without an owner's consent.
    Chris Ramirez, Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2024
  • Once she is medically cleared she will be booked at Santa Rita Jail on assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, reckless evading of a peace officer, failure to obey a court order and resisting arrest with an enhancement of committing a felony while out on her own recognizance.
    Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Mai appeared in a daring backless dress with a high halter neck.
    Catherine Santino, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
  • The period action film follows Korean independence activists who launch a daring attack against the Japanese occupying forces in Manchuria (modern-day China).
    Patrick Frater, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • But the real breakout is Kyle Schmid as the cowboy who runs this ragtag team of NIS investigators.
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2024
  • Dillahunt will play modern cowboy William Macon, a self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • These were just those courageous enough to answer truthfully.
    Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Erika Sanders of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council hopes the center will force stakeholders and policymakers to ask tough questions that may be uncomfortable but courageous.
    La Risa R. Lynch, Journal Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Chances are good our adventurous readers have taken a trip that’s right up your alley — and then shared not only their travel adventures but their practical tips, too.
    Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 11 Nov. 2024
  • While best known for its flashy entertainment and adventurous activities — from bumper cars and ice skating to surfing and indoor skydiving simulators — Royal Caribbean offers something for all types of travelers.
    Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The current top predator in Tasmania, the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), is already facing severe population declines due to disease.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
  • The devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) has been eating away at the population of Tasmanian devils and re-introducing the thylacine might not do the devil any favors.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Your next breakthrough starts with one brave move today.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
  • The game's protagonist is as brave and strong as the original, yes, but much more chipper, with a quip, joke or pun for almost every interaction.
    Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • When Robert De Niro’s veteran firefighter provokes the psychopath during a parole hearing, Sutherland’s confession of desire is chillingly, obscenely joyful — the spectacle of a madman unable to contain his lusty appetite for destruction.
    A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 25 June 2024
  • With its slow-build suspense, harrowing sound editing, and the indelible sight of a towering madman in a butcher’s apron, a mask of human flesh, and the buzzing power tool of the title, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre becomes a full-body workout of fear and dread.
    Chris Nashawaty, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near daredevil

Cite this Entry

“Daredevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daredevil. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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