dared; daring; dares or (auxiliary) dare
: to be sufficiently courageous to
no one dared say a word
she dare not let herself love—
G. B. Shaw
: to have sufficient courage
try it if you dare
1
2
: to have the courage to contend against, venture, or try
the actress dared a new interpretation of the classic role
1
: an act or instance of daring (see dare entry 1 sense 1) : challenge
crossed the river on a dare
refused to take the dare
2
: imaginative or vivacious boldness : daring
Dictionary of American Regional English
Synonyms
Examples of dare in a Sentence
Verb
Try it if you dare.
We wanted to laugh but didn't dare.
The actress dared a new interpretation of the classic role.
She dared him to dive off the bridge.
She dared me to ask him out on a date. I did, and he said yes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Anita Kopacz, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
The brutal crackdown extinguished the rebellion and also served as a warning to anyone else who dared challenge his authority.
—Greg Myre, NPR, 8 Dec. 2024
Peter Larsen, Orange County Register, 20 Sep. 2024
Onsite, a full set of identical steel rectangles lies in the grass awaiting a home: an offer, perhaps a dare, for another state to install its own version.
—Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2024
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Verb
What is a witch, if not a powerful woman who dares to defy the gravity of societal norms and expectations?
—Noun
Heather Dubrow gets off easy with a dare to bark like a dog.
—Dictionary Entries Near dare
Cite this Entry
“Dare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dare. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
dare
1 of 2 verb
ˈda(ə)r 
ˈde(ə)r
dared; daring
1
a
: to have enough courage : be bold enough to
try it if you dare
b
—used as a helping verb
no one dared say a word
2
: to challenge to perform an action especially as a proof of courage
I dare you
3
: to face boldly
dared the dangerous crossing
dare
2 of 2 noun
: an act or instance of daring : challenge
dived from the bridge on a dare
Biographical Definition
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