1
as in challenged
to invite (someone) to take part in a contest or to perform a feat
I dare you to repeat that to my face! he dared his friend to race to the end of the block
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in confronted
to oppose (something hostile or dangerous) with firmness or courage
every day the old fisherman dared the elements to make his meager living
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dared
But even at its most tender, Motown never dared to be as unabashedly sultry as the Ottavianos.
—
Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 26 Apr. 2026
Fallon even dared Coughlan to ask Dave Grohl — who is serving as musical guest with his band Foo Fighters — to be her best friend.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
No president since dared challenge Iran.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
Prior to that time, a conservative who dared toss the dirty indictment at his or her opponent would face disapproval from all directions, and, of course, condemnation from the legacy media.
—Bob Ehrlich, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets will win the offensive boards, and even if Christian Braun struggles from 3 when dared to shoot, Minnesota will have no answer for Nikola Jokic.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
The Rangers laid off his splitter and dared him to throw effective strikes with his fastball.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
For decades, nobody dared to innovate on the soda category.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Churches rang bells, factories blew whistles, and parents hardly dared believe the news.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 26 Apr. 2026
Fallon even dared Coughlan to ask Dave Grohl — who is serving as musical guest with his band Foo Fighters — to be her best friend.
—Ellise Shafer, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
No president since dared challenge Iran.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
Prior to that time, a conservative who dared toss the dirty indictment at his or her opponent would face disapproval from all directions, and, of course, condemnation from the legacy media.
—Bob Ehrlich, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets will win the offensive boards, and even if Christian Braun struggles from 3 when dared to shoot, Minnesota will have no answer for Nikola Jokic.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
The Rangers laid off his splitter and dared him to throw effective strikes with his fastball.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
For decades, nobody dared to innovate on the soda category.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Churches rang bells, factories blew whistles, and parents hardly dared believe the news.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dared
Verb
-
Jacas specifically highlighted the players’ buy-in and how the staff challenged him physically and mentally during his time in the facility.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Regulators have challenged specific Kalshi markets while allowing others to proceed, leaving the boundaries unsettled.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When agents confronted him, the situation escalated quickly.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Spillman appeared to take issue with Amil's vehicle blocking the sidewalk and confronted him.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
We are faced with a vastly more consequential version of a Catch-22.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
However — and this is significant — Buffett faced some years with huge losses.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For the handful of hardy fans who braved the torrential rain to watch the team at open training, there is little doubt in her abilities.—
Sebastian Shukla,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Players were pleasantly surprised by how many fans braved the cold, breezy conditions and 30-degree temperature drop.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dared. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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