embolden
verb
em·bold·en
im-ˈbōl-dən 
emboldened; emboldening; emboldens
: to impart boldness or courage to : to instill with boldness, courage, or resolution enough to overcome timidity or misgiving
Great leaders embolden the rest of us to rise to our highest potentialities, to be active, insistent and resolute in affirming our own sense of things.—
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.… being near her twin did seem to embolden her, to loosen her tongue.—John Updike
John Updike… other voices too timid to speak in class are often emboldened by the different and more protected role an online conversation provides.—Richard A. Lanham
Richard A. LanhamExamples of embolden in a Sentence
his poor showing in his first swim meet just emboldened him to train even harder
Recent Examples on the Web
Her courage emboldened civil rights leaders around the country.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
McCollum is emboldened by the White House taking up the issue.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
Sarwar’s decision to call for Starmer to step down could embolden restive Labour lawmakers to do the same.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Democrats in Virginia, emboldened by victories in last year’s elections, pushed forward with their own redistricting plan to gain more seats in the House of Representatives for the 2026 elections.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for embolden
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Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Feb. 2026
McCollum is emboldened by the White House taking up the issue.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
Sarwar’s decision to call for Starmer to step down could embolden restive Labour lawmakers to do the same.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
Democrats in Virginia, emboldened by victories in last year’s elections, pushed forward with their own redistricting plan to gain more seats in the House of Representatives for the 2026 elections.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for embolden
Cite this Entry
“Embolden.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embolden. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
embolden
verb
em·bold·en
im-ˈbōl-dən
: to make bold
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