daredevil 1 of 2

Definition of daredevilnext
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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

Example 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
Ogden traced his daredevil ways, in part, back to Newell. Bill Donahue, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026 With the element of fire as an intensifier, the Fire Horse is the daredevil and thrill-seeker of the lunar cycle. Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
McBride — adventurer, daredevil — appears unflappable. Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026 And within that special group of music-loving daredevils, each has their own reason for applying a soundtrack to their death-defying jumps. ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for daredevil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daredevil
Adjective
  • He was charged with seven counts, including first-degree reckless endangering safety and two counts of eluding an officer.
    Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
  • The spiral of menace is breathtaking as Gary continues to dig them in deeper with his misplaced confidence and reckless moves, and a bone-chilling warning left in the dead of night forces Irwin to bring Hester up to date.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • For the less daring, there are a total of five trails inside the park.
    Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
  • The unit famously killed Usama bin Laden in 2011 in a daring raid deep into Pakistan.
    David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Rip makes a few calls, including one to former Yellowstone cowboy Walker (Ryan Bingham), who tells him about a ranch for sale in Texas.
    Samantha Stutsman, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
  • Her address book leads them to Chuck Hall (Mykelti Williamson), a cowboy lawyer who lost his tongue to him, but still has lots to say and warnings to give.
    Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • But a courageous governor, LeRoy Collins, fought his heart out for voting rights and fair apportionment.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
  • Bolton Hill neighbors react Neighbors called her actions courageous.
    Tara Lynch, CBS News, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • The adventurous activity allows travelers the chance to come eye-to-eye with a shark from the safety of a cage, from the Galapagos Islands to the Western Cape of South Africa.
    Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2026
  • Un Certain Regard has an excellent track record for this kind of thing — formally adventurous films that leave audiences slightly altered.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • This is the aforementioned devil’s chair.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
  • And, yes, there is a literal devil in this one, which won’t be a surprise to anyone familiar with LaValle’s novel.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Adjective
  • Instead of wanting to hide her hairstyle, the toddler came home proud of herself for being brave enough to go through with it.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
  • One brave man ignores a greeting.
    Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • When Sarah’s eyes moved from the map to the paper piling up in my writing nook marked with the chicken scratchings of a madman, her eyebrows arched to the highest point eyebrows can arch.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are mismatched detectives on the hunt for a madman enacting crimes in the style of the seven deadly sins.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Daredevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daredevil. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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