bold stroke
Audacious decisive action
A bold stroke is a daring or decisive action, especially one that changes a situation dramatically.
The term comes from painting or writing, where a bold stroke is a confident, unhesitating mark.
In figurative use, it suggests risk-taking that might fail spectacularly or succeed brilliantly: Acquiring the rival company was a bold stroke that doubled their market share.
- audaciousRecklessly or disrespectfully fearless
- daringAdventurous courage
- gambitRisky opening for advantage
- masterstrokeSupremely skillful action
- power moveSuperiority-asserting action
big swing · brushstroke · risk · decisive · fearless · high stakes · all in · venture · coup · leap of faith · canvas · sweep · flourish · maneuver · game changer · gutsy · brazen · paint
- strokesbackstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, crawl, freestyle
- brush techniquesdry brush, wet on wet, wet-on-wet, stippling, feathering
bold strokesafe bet
Likely winning wager
playing it safe · hedge · safe choice · defensive play · insurance policy
bold strokehalf-measure
Inadequate partial action
baby step · gradual change · tinkering · token gesture · fine-tuning
bold strokehesitation
Delay from uncertainty
dithering · fence-sitting · waffling · equivocation · vacillation
bold, stroke, bolder, boldest, boldly, boldness, embolden, emboldened, strokes