fearless
FEER-luss
/ˈfɪə.ləs/
Free from fear; brave and confident.
A versatile, everyday adjective denoting complete absence of fear.
The story behind the word. Combines Old English 'fær' (sudden danger or peril) with the suffix '-less'. Originally, 'fear' referred to sudden harm before shifting to mean the emotion felt toward harm.
Word relationships
- intrepid: Intrepid implies adventurous exploration in danger.
- unafraid: Unafraid states a temporary emotional state, whereas fearless often describes a character trait.
- fearful: Feeling or showing fear.
- timorous: Full of fear or easily frightened.
Commonly confused with
- fearful: Fearful is the direct antonym, meaning full of fear.
Word family
- fearlessness (noun): the state of lacking fear
- fearlessly (adverb): without fear
Collocations
- fearless leader
- fearless pursuit
- fearless attitude
Idioms & expressions
- fearless and true
Example sentences
- "The young gymnast gave a fearless performance on the high balance beam." Sports
- "She was known as a fearless advocate for human rights in turbulent regions." Journalism
Memory hook
FEAR + LESS = simply WITHOUT FEAR. Minus the fear.
When not to use
Avoid in formal literary contexts where 'intrepid' or 'dauntless' provides better stylistic elevation.
Fun facts
- Old English 'fær' originally meant an ambush or sudden attack; only later did it describe the feeling of dread.
Explore more words
resolute, independent, timorous, timid, unflappable, trustworthy
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