valiant

1 of 2

adjective

val·​iant ˈval-yənt How to pronounce valiant (audio)
Synonyms of valiantnext
1
: possessing or acting with bravery or boldness : courageous
valiant soldiers
2
: marked by, exhibiting, or carried out with courage or determination : heroic
valiant feats
valiantly adverb
valiantness noun

valiant

2 of 2

noun

: a valiant person

Synonyms

Adjective

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of valiant in a Sentence

Adjective She died last year after a valiant battle with cancer. Despite their valiant efforts, they lost the game. She made a valiant attempt to fix the problem.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The first half of the novel affords a devastating look at the death, mutilation and overall destruction witnessed every day by these valiant women. —Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 The Sun Devils were able to hold off a valiant comeback effort from the Mustangs. —Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 8 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for valiant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'valiant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English vailant, valiant, borrowed from Anglo-French vaillant "worthy, strong, courageous," from present participle of valer "to be of worth," going back to Latin valēre "to have strength, be well" — more at wield

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of valiant was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near valiant

valiancy

valiant

valid

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Valiant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/valiant. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

valiant

1 of 2 adjective
val·​iant ˈval-yənt How to pronounce valiant (audio)
1
: boldly brave
2
: done with courage : heroic
valiantly adverb

valiant

2 of 2 noun
: a valiant person

More from Merriam-Webster on valiant

Nglish: Translation of valiant for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of valiant for Arabic Speakers

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