bold strokes
Audacious broad actions
Bold strokes are broad, decisive marks—originally in painting, where a bold stroke shows confidence and sweep rather than careful detail.
The phrase extends to any dramatic, decisive action: The new CEO made bold strokes in her first week, cutting three divisions.
To paint in bold strokes or with bold strokes is to work in broad outlines, sacrificing nuance for impact.
- sweepingExtensive and far-reaching
- brushworkPainter's stroke method
- decisiveQuick to conclude
- confidentSure of oneself
- dramaticStrikingly expressive or sudden
canvas · paint · palette knife · gestural · action painting · expressive · daring · audacious · go big · masterful · artistic flair · flourish · movement · impasto · thick · vivid · energetic · powerful
- painting techniquesimpasto, glazing, dry brushing, drybrush, stippling
- Abstract Expressionismabstract expressionism, action painting, drip painting, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko
- brow tattoosmicroblading, permanent makeup, feathering, pigment, blade
- brushworkbrushwork, gestural, impasto, dry brush, blended
- angry artfury, wrath, rage, violent imagery, tension
bold strokeshalf measures
Incomplete or inadequate actions
baby steps · half-measures · playing it safe · tiptoeing · hedging
bold, stroke, bolder, boldest, boldly, boldness, embolden, emboldened, strokes