What does intrepidness mean?
Intrepidness means fearlessness joined to determination: it describes the quality of someone who continues onward despite danger, hardship, or uncertainty. The word is commonly found in formal, literary, and historical writing, where it often carries an admiring tone. A person displaying intrepidness may be described as intrepid, meaning courageous, resolute, and willing to take risks. Unlike the broader word courage, which can include moral fortitude and the resolution to act despite fear, intrepidness more strongly evokes bold action in the presence of physical danger or extreme difficulty. It may therefore be especially appropriate for explorers, soldiers, rescuers, and other figures associated with hazardous journeys. Although usually positive, the term can occasionally suggest rashness or excessive willingness to take risks, depending on context. The noun is relatively uncommon in everyday conversation but lends a formal, elevated tone to descriptions of exceptional bravery and resolve.
nounThe quality of being brave, resolute, and fearlessly willing to face danger or difficulty.
- The quality of being brave and resolute in the face of danger, hardship, or uncertainty.
"The young explorer's intrepidness inspired the entire expedition."
"Her intrepidness carried the team through the storm."
"The account of his intrepidness became part of the nation's mythology."
The plural is grammatically regular but rarely used because the word normally appears in the singular.
"The biographies celebrate the intrepidnesses of pioneering mountaineers."
Intrepidness comes from a Roman word for someone who was not agitated—a remarkably Roman definition of fearless.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does intrepidness come from?
Intrepidness was formed in English by adding the suffix -ness to the older adjective intrepid. Intrepid comes from the Latin adjective intrepidus, meaning “untimidated” or “unagitated,” which was formed from the prefix in-, meaning “not,” and trepidus, meaning “agitated,” “alarmed,” or “timid.” The English form developed during the early modern period and has been associated with unusual boldness and fearlessness ever since.
Related word forms
How intrepidness is actually used
Formality: formal to literary. Register: usually admiring or celebratory, though it can be used in a critical context when describing recklessness. Intrepidness is more formal and more abstract than everyday words such as courage or bravery.
Easily confused with intrepidness
Intrepidness is the abstract noun meaning courage or boldness, whereas intrepid is the adjective describing someone who possesses those qualities.