bravery

bravery — noun

1. the ability to stay strong and act even when you feel afraid or may be hurt

1.nounB2
Definition

the ability to stay strong and act even when you feel afraid or may be hurt

Example

The coast guard praised Hana's bravery after she pulled two boys ashore.

praise somebody's bravery

Bravery kept the trapped miners calm until the rescue team arrived.

Common collocations
  • show bravery
  • great bravery
  • remarkable bravery
  • an act of bravery
  • bravery in the face of danger
Synonyms
  • courage

    the closest general word and slightly broader, often including inner strength before action

  • heroism

    stronger and often used for unusually great or public acts

  • nerve

    more informal and often stresses boldness in a difficult moment

  • boldness

    can be positive or negative and does not always suggest danger

Antonyms
  • cowardice

    lack of willingness to face danger or pain

  • timidity

    suggests shyness or lack of confidence rather than heroic action

Grammar Patterns

show bravery

with bravery

bravery in the face of danger

Usage Note

Usually uncountable and often appears with words like show, great, and remarkable, or in the pattern with bravery. It points to action under risk; courage can also describe the inner quality more generally.

Common Mistakes

Her bravery to jump into the river saved the child.
Her bravery in jumping into the river saved the child.
after bravery, English usually uses in + -ing for the action, not to + verb.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all relate to facing something difficult, but they are not used in exactly the same way. Bravery usually points to what someone actually does in a dangerous or frightening moment. Courage is broader and can describe the inner strength before any action happens. Heroism is stronger and often suggests an act that other people admire publicly. Nerve is more informal and often means staying steady under pressure. Boldness can be positive, but it can also suggest going too far. You can praise a firefighter's bravery after a rescue, talk about the courage to leave an abusive home, or call a risky joke boldness rather than bravery.

bravery ↗courage ↗heroismnerve ↗boldness

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • show bravery
  • with bravery
  • bravery in the face of danger

Prepositions

Etymology

ItalianFrenchEnglish

Bravery was formed in English from brave with the noun ending -ery. Brave came through French and is related to Italian bravo, a word for someone bold or impressive.