death-defying
Courting mortal danger
Death-defying describes acts that seem to risk death but survive it—typically stunts, feats, or escapes that appear impossibly dangerous: a death-defying leap across the canyon, death-defying acrobatics.
The term carries theatrical flair, often used for circus acts, daredevil performances, and action movie sequences.
It suggests not just danger but spectacle.
Performer of dangerous scenes
- stuntwomanFemale film daredevil
- daredevilReckless risk-taker
- acrobatAgile circus performer
- aerialistCircus performer aloft
tightrope · trapeze · highwire · motorcycle jump · Evel Knievel · Houdini · escape artist · fire-breathing
Recreational freefall from aircraft
- bungee jumpingElastic-tethered freefall recreation
- wingsuitWearable gliding apparatus
- cliff divingJumping from heights into water
- whitewater raftingBoating through river rapids
paragliding · hang gliding · motocross · freestyle · highlining · ice climbing · parkour · freerunning
Lacking any apprehension
- intrepidResolutely without fear
- boldCourageous and daring
- daringAdventurous courage
- audaciousRecklessly or disrespectfully fearless
undaunted · dauntless · valiant · heroic · gallant · plucky · gutsy · nerves of steel
Barely avoiding disaster
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- near-missNarrowly averted incident
- close callDisaster narrowly averted
- rescueSave from harm
extrication · deliverance · against the odds · miraculous · hair's breadth · perilous · harrowing · white-knuckle
Emergency response hormone
- rushQuick sudden movement
- exhilarationIntense joyful excitement
- heart-poundingCausing intense physical excitement
- spine-tinglingCausing thrilled fear
electrifying · intense · extreme · high-octane · white-knuckle · breathless · thrill seeker · adrenaline junkie
stuntman
Performer of dangerous scenes
- stuntwomanFemale film daredevil
- daredevilReckless risk-taker
- acrobatAgile circus performer
aerialist · tightrope · trapeze · highwire · motorcycle jump · Evel Knievel · Houdini · escape artist · fire-breathing · human cannonball
skydiving
Recreational freefall from aircraft
- bungee jumpingElastic-tethered freefall recreation
- wingsuitWearable gliding apparatus
- cliff divingJumping from heights into water
whitewater rafting · paragliding · hang gliding · motocross · freestyle · highlining · ice climbing · parkour · freerunning · snowboarding
fearless
Lacking any apprehension
audacious · undaunted · dauntless · valiant · heroic · gallant · plucky · gutsy · nerves of steel · unflinching
narrow escape
Barely avoiding disaster
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- near-missNarrowly averted incident
- close callDisaster narrowly averted
rescue · extrication · deliverance · against the odds · miraculous · hair's breadth · perilous · harrowing · white-knuckle · nail-biting
adrenaline
Emergency response hormone
- rushQuick sudden movement
- exhilarationIntense joyful excitement
- heart-poundingCausing intense physical excitement
spine-tingling · electrifying · intense · extreme · high-octane · white-knuckle · breathless · thrill seeker · adrenaline junkie · euphoria
- close callsclose call, near miss, narrow escape, close shave, nick of time
- couragebravery, resilience, fearlessness, boldness, courage
- deathlydeathly, deceased, dying, expired, fatal
death-defyingcautious
Careful to avoid risk
timid · cowardly · risk-averse · faint-hearted · fearful
death-defyingmundane
Commonplace, lacking excitement
boring · unremarkable · ordinary · pedestrian · humdrum
death, deadly, defy, defiant, defiance, deaden, deadpan, deathless, dead