daredevil 1 of 2

1
2

daredevil

2 of 2

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
So when filming for the second half of Season Four moved to the western coast of Morocco, Rudy Pankow, who plays the daredevil JJ, seized the opportunity for a quick jaunt to the Sahara desert. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2024 The on-screen swashbuckler has kept his daredevil spirit, too, releasing the three-part series Orlando Bloom: To the Edge earlier this year. Brendan Le, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024
Noun
Some 900 attendees stare, rapt, as the daredevils loop and arc on their bikes, the wheels illuminated. Gina Ryder, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024 The officers then apprehend the daredevils at a subway station and take them into custody. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for daredevil 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daredevil
Adjective
  • He’s become poised to the point of being unrecognizable from his Young Josh days as a gunslinging, sometimes reckless quarterback who sometimes took himself, his teammates and Bills fans on Sunday roller-coaster rides.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
  • He was originally charged with disorderly conduct — a misdemeanor — and three counts of felony reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon.
    Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Indie filmmakers can make the daring projects a studio never would and do so on the cheap.
    Brian Welk, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
  • They were rescued on July 2, 2008, in a daring military extraction known as Operation Jaque.
    John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Watch on Deadline Dusty is a quiet guy and O’Connor, probably not a casting director’s idea of a cowboy, really manages to show us who this young man is, often with just his forlorn facial expressions rather than the limited dialogue he is given in many scenes.
    Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2025
  • The Will Rodgers Foundation announced last week that the Palisades Fire claimed both historic homes of the famed cowboy actor and member of the Cherokee Nation.
    Russell Contreras, Axios, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Gunderson’s Hertha is fierce, witty and courageous and her Marie is cowering, heartbroken and despondent.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
  • History is filled with good and evil, but in the end, good conquers evil when courageous men and women don’t give up, as when Hitler and his Nazis were vanquished.
    Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Radhika hopes to meet a romantic man who isn't afraid to be adventurous with her or get down on the dance floor.
    Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Despite its often harsh and often mercurial weather, Greenland has become a popular tourist destination for adventurous senior travelers.
    Roger Sands, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Play devil’s advocate, explore worst-case scenarios and invite constructive criticism.
    Mark Kane, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Against Djokovic, that battle can become a devil’s choice.
    Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • His condition was touch and go, but this brave boy refused to give up.
    TJ Macias, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2025
  • The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement and instead trusts them to use common sense.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Miller, of course, is aware that Trump’s intention, always, is to shock, to play the madman, and thus frighten his rivals and alter the terms of the debate.
    David Remnick, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025
  • Notorious madman Charles Manson, who died in prison in 2017 at age 83, and a group of his followers terrorized the Los Angeles area in 1969 by committing at least seven gruesome murders, including actress Sharon Tate.
    William Earl, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near daredevil

Cite this Entry

“Daredevil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daredevil. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on daredevil

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!