valorous

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 11, 2026 is:

valorous • \VAL-uh-russ\  • adjective

Someone or something described as valorous is courageous or brave.

// For carrying three wounded members of his squadron out of harm's way, the lieutenant was presented with an award that recognized his valorous actions in the heat of battle.

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Examples:

"... a Texas native who was awarded the Medal of Honor for valorous action during combat in Vietnam." — Melissa Renteria, The San Antonio (Texas) Express-News, 8 Mar. 2026

Did you know?

The English language has no shortage of synonyms for brave. In fact, it even has two different such words from the same Latin verb, valēre ("to be well, to have strength"): valiant and valorous. Valiant is the older of the pair, borrowed from the Anglo-French vaillant ("worthy, strong, courageous") in the 1300s. Valorous followed in the 1400s, a combination of valor ("strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness")—another valēre descendent—and the adjective suffix -ous. While the words can be used synonymously, valorous sometimes has an archaic or romantic ring, describing stout-hearted warriors of yore, while the more common word valiant often describes soldiers as well as general kinds of bravery or effort.