fearless

fearless — adjective

1. showing no fear in dangerous or difficult situations; extremely brave and willin

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

showing no fear in dangerous or difficult situations; extremely brave and willing to take risks.

Example

The young activist gave a fearless speech in front of the city council.

fearless speech — common collocation for public speaking

Aiko's fearless attitude helped her lead the search team through the storm.

fearless attitude — adjective + noun collocation

Common collocations
  • fearless leader
  • fearless warrior
  • fearless advocate
  • fearless in battle
  • fearless in the face of danger
Synonyms
  • brave

    more general; can describe enduring pain or difficulty, not just facing danger

  • courageous

    more formal; often suggests moral strength in the face of opposition

  • bold

    can imply confidence that borders on being too confident or rude

  • daring

    emphasises willingness to take physical or social risks

Antonyms
  • afraid

    simply feeling fear; much weaker and more common in everyday use

  • cowardly

    describes someone who lacks courage; carries a strong negative tone

Grammar Patterns

fearless + noun (e.g. fearless leader)

fearless + in + noun / -ing form (e.g. fearless in battle)

Usage Note

Stronger than 'brave' — fearless suggests a complete absence of fear, while brave often implies acting despite feeling afraid. Can describe a person's character (a fearless leader) or a specific action (a fearless decision).

Common Mistakes

She is fearless to try new things.
She is fearless when trying new things.
'fearless' is not followed by a to-infinitive.
I feel fearless about the exam tomorrow.
I am not worried about the exam tomorrow.
'fearless' sounds too dramatic for everyday situations such as tests or errands.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Brave is the most general word, suggesting the ability to face danger or pain without showing fear. Courageous is more formal and often describes someone who acts rightly despite fear, especially in moral or principled situations. Bold emphasises confidence and willingness to take risks, sometimes with a hint of impertinence. Daring highlights audacity and a taste for adventure, often in physical or social settings. For example, you might call a soldier brave, a whistleblower courageous, a fashion choice bold, and a mountain climber daring. Fearless goes further than all of these — it suggests a complete absence of fear rather than action taken despite it.

brave ↗courageous ↗bold ↗daring ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in the face of danger
  • in pursuit of justice
  • in defence of others

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'fǣr' (danger, sudden calamity) plus the suffix '-lēas' (without, free from). The word has been used since the 14th century to describe someone who is without fear.