# bold

/ˈboʊɫd/ (US) · /bˈəʊld/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bold
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. brave

adjective · CEFR B1

brave and not afraid to take risks.

For teachers: showing a willingness to take risks; confident and courageous.

- It was a bold move to quit her job and start her own company.
- The CEO made a bold decision to pivot the company's entire strategy toward renewable energy despite the initial financial risks.

### 2. visually striking

adjective · CEFR B2

strong, bright, or very easy to see.

For teachers: having a strong or vivid appearance; standing out clearly to the eye.

- The artist used bold colours like bright red and orange in the painting.
- The new logo features bold geometric shapes that remain legible even when scaled down for mobile applications.

### 3. thick text

adjective · CEFR B1

printed with thick, dark lines to make it stand out.

For teachers: denoting a typeface with thick strokes, used for emphasis or headings.

- Important words in the instructions are printed in bold type.
- The editor suggested using a bold font for the subheadings to improve the document's overall hierarchy and readability.

### 4. rude or disrespectful

adjective · CEFR B2

showing a lack of respect; being too confident in a rude way.

For teachers: impudent or presumptuous; lacking the proper respect for someone in authority.

- The student was very bold to talk back to the teacher like that.
- His bold interruption of the chairman was seen as a serious breach of professional etiquette.

### 5. naughty

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English · Dialect

behaving badly or being disobedient.

For teachers: behaving in a naughty or insolent manner; frequently applied to children.

- The bold child refused to eat his vegetables and threw his plate.
- She told her son he was being a bold boy for teasing the dog during dinner.

Usage: Commonly used in Ireland and parts of the UK to describe children.

### 6. to format text

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to make text look thicker and darker on a screen or page.

For teachers: to apply a bold weight to a font or specific string of text.

- You should bold the main points so they are easier to find.
- The software allows users to bold entire paragraphs with a single keyboard shortcut.

## Examples

- She made a bold decision to quit her job and travel.
- The architect's bold design for the new museum features a striking glass roof that stands out against the old city skyline.
- In a bold move that surprised the industry, the startup challenged the established monopoly by offering its core software for free.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.