To dare means to have the courage to do something difficult, scary, or risky. When you dare to raise your hand with an answer you're not completely sure about, you're pushing past your fear of being wrong. When an inventor dares to try a new idea that others say won't work, they're willing to risk failure to discover something new.

The word can also mean to challenge someone to do something. If your friend dares you to climb the tall tree at recess, they're challenging you to prove your bravery. A dare to try something genuinely difficult is different from a dare to do something dangerous or foolish.

People sometimes use dare to express surprise or disapproval, as in “How dare you talk to me that way!” This means the speaker thinks the action took audacity or nerve that wasn't justified.

As a noun, a dare is the challenge itself: “I accepted the dare.”

Daring describes someone brave enough to take risks: a daring explorer, a daring rescue. When you dare to try something challenging, you're showing the kind of courage that can lead to growth and discovery.