Brave vs. Strong: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on September 21, 2023
"Brave" pertains to showing courage against fear or danger, while "Strong" refers to having power, force, or physical/moral strength.
Key Differences
Brave typically characterizes someone who stands firm in the face of adversity, danger, or fear, often defying the odds to do what they believe is right. On the other hand, Strong is a more general term that can describe physical power, emotional resilience, or moral fortitude.
While a Brave individual might face challenges head-on, irrespective of personal risk, a Strong person may possess the physical might or mental toughness to endure or overcome hardships.
Notably, all Brave individuals may not be physically Strong, and vice versa. A frail person can be incredibly Brave in spirit, while a physically Strong individual might hesitate in situations requiring moral courage.
It's possible for someone to be both Brave and Strong. For instance, firefighters are often physically Strong to handle the demands of their job, and incredibly Brave to rush into life-threatening situations.
Ultimately, while "Brave" zeroes in on courage in the face of challenges, "Strong" offers a broader scope, encapsulating physical power, resilience, and moral strength.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Showing courage against fear or danger
Having power, force, or physical/moral strength
Part of Speech
Adjective (can also be a noun)
Adjective
Usage Context
Courage or valor
Physical might, resilience, fortitude
Grammatical Function
Describes courage in the face of adversity
Describes might, power, or resilience
Associated Ideas
Fearlessness, heroism
Force, resilience, durability
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Brave and Strong Definitions
Brave
Showing courage in the face of danger.
The firefighter was Brave to enter the burning building.
Strong
Having physical power or force.
He is Strong enough to lift the heavy box.
Brave
Facing challenges head-on.
He took the Brave step of starting a new business.
Strong
Emotionally resilient.
She has a Strong character, never yielding to adversity.
Brave
Possessing or displaying courage.
Strong
Secure or robust.
The building has a Strong foundation.
Brave
Making a fine display; impressive or showy
“a coat of brave red lipstick on a mouth so wrinkled that it didn't even have a clear outline” (Anne Tyler).
Strong
Convincing or effective.
He made a Strong argument in the debate.
Brave
Excellent; great
“The Romans were like brothers / In the brave days of old” (Thomas Macaulay).
Strong
Physically powerful; capable of exerting great physical force.
Brave
(used with a pl. verb) People who exhibit bravery or courage considered as a group
“O'er the land of the free / And the home of the brave” (Francis Scott Key).
Strong
Marked by great physical power
A strong blow to the head.
Brave
(Offensive) A Native American warrior.
Strong
In good or sound health; robust
A strong constitution.
A strong heart.
Brave
(Archaic) A bully.
Strong
Economically or financially sound or thriving
A strong economy.
Brave
To endure or face courageously
“He remained in his tent on inclement mornings while others in the party braved the rain ... looking for birds” (Bert O. States). “Together they would brave Satan and all his legions” (Emily Brontë).
Strong
Having force of character, will, morality, or intelligence
A strong personality.
Brave
(Obsolete) To make showy or splendid.
Strong
Having or showing ability or achievement in a specified field
Students who are strong in chemistry.
Brave
To make a courageous show or put up a stalwart front.
Strong
Capable of the effective exercise of authority
A strong leader.
Brave
Strong in the face of fear; courageous.
Strong
Capable of withstanding force or wear; solid, tough, or firm
A strong building.
A strong fabric.
Brave
(obsolete) Having any sort of superiority or excellence.
Strong
Having great binding strength
A strong adhesive.
Brave
Making a fine show or display.
Strong
Not easily captured or defeated
A strong flank.
A strong defense.
Brave
Foolish or unwise.
Strong
Not easily upset; resistant to harmful or unpleasant influences
Strong nerves.
A strong stomach.
Brave
(dated) A Native American warrior.
Strong
Having force or rapidity of motion
A strong current.
Brave
(obsolete) A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.
Strong
Persuasive, effective, and cogent
A strong argument.
Brave
(obsolete) A challenge; a defiance; bravado.
Strong
Forceful and pointed; emphatic
A strong statement.
Brave
(transitive) To encounter with courage and fortitude, to defy, to provoke.
After braving tricks on the high-dive, he braved a jump off the first diving platform.
Strong
Forthright and explicit, often offensively so
Strong language.
Brave
To adorn; to make fine or showy.
Strong
Extreme; drastic
Had to resort to strong measures.
Brave
Bold; courageous; daring; intrepid; - opposed to cowardly; as, a brave man; a brave act.
Strong
Having force of conviction or feeling; uncompromising
Strong faith.
A strong supporter.
Brave
Having any sort of superiority or excellence; - especially such as in conspicuous.
Iron is a brave commodity where wood aboundeth.
It being a brave day, I walked to Whitehall.
Strong
Intense in degree or quality
A strong emotion.
Strong motivation.
Brave
Making a fine show or display.
Wear my dagger with the braver grace.
For I have gold, and therefore will be brave.In silks I'll rattle it of every color.
Frog and lizard in holiday coatsAnd turtle brave in his golden spots.
Strong
Having an intense or offensive effect on the senses
Strong light.
Strong vinegar.
Strong cologne.
Brave
A brave person; one who is daring.
The star-spangled banner, O,long may it waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Strong
Clear and loud
A strong voice.
Brave
Specifically, an Indian warrior.
Strong
Readily noticeable; remarkable
A strong resemblance.
A strong contrast.
Brave
A man daring beyond discretion; a bully.
Hot braves like thee may fight.
Strong
Readily detected or received
A strong radio signal.
Brave
A challenge; a defiance; bravado.
Demetrius, thou dost overween in all;And so in this, to bear me down with braves.
Strong
Having a high concentration of an essential or active ingredient
Mixed a strong solution of bleach and water.
Brave
To encounter with courage and fortitude; to set at defiance; to defy; to dare.
These I can brave, but those I can not bear.
Strong
Containing a considerable percentage of alcohol
Strong punch.
Brave
To adorn; to make fine or showy.
Thou [a tailor whom Grunio was browbeating] hast braved meny men; brave not me; I'll neither be faced or braved.
Strong
Powerfully effective
A strong painkiller.
Brave
A North American Indian warrior
Strong
Of or relating to a color having a high degree of saturation.
Brave
People who are brave;
The home of the free and the brave
Strong
Having a specified number of units or members
A military force 100,000 strong.
Brave
Face or endure with courage;
She braved the elements
Strong
Marked by steady or rising prices
A strong market.
Brave
Possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching;
Familiarity with danger makes a brave man braver but less daring
A frank courageous heart...triumphed over pain
Set a courageous example by leading them safely into and out of enemy-held territory
Strong
Of or relating to those verbs in Germanic languages that form their past tense by a change in stem vowel, and their past participles by a change in stem vowel and sometimes by adding the suffix -(e)n, as sing, sang, sung or tear, tore, torn.
Brave
Invulnerable to fear or intimidation;
Audacious explorers
Fearless reporters and photographers
Intrepid pioneers
Strong
Of or relating to the inflection of nouns or adjectives in Germanic languages with endings that historically did not contain a suffix with an n.
Brave
Brightly colored and showy;
Girls decked out in brave new dresses
Brave banners flying
`braw' is a Scottish word
A dress a bit too gay for her years
Birds with gay plumage
Strong
Stressed or accented in pronunciation or poetic meter. Used of a word or syllable.
Brave
Not intimidated by potential harm.
She was Brave enough to voice her opinion.
Strong
In a strong, powerful, or vigorous manner; forcefully
A salesperson who comes on too strong.
Brave
Standing firm against adversity.
The team was Brave in the championship match.
Strong
Capable of producing great physical force.
A big strong man; Jake was tall and strong
Brave
Displaying valor or heroism.
Soldiers are often hailed as Brave for their service.
Strong
Capable of withstanding great physical force.
A strong foundation; good strong shoes
Strong
(of water, wind, etc.) Having a lot of power.
The man was nearly drowned after a strong undercurrent swept him out to sea.
Strong
Determined; unyielding.
He is strong in the face of adversity.
Strong
Highly stimulating to the senses.
A strong light; a strong taste
Strong
Having an offensive or intense odor or flavor.
A strong smell
Strong
Having a high concentration of an essential or active ingredient.
A strong cup of coffee; a strong medicine
Strong
(specifically) Having a high alcoholic content.
A strong drink
She gets up, and pours herself a strong one. - Eagles, Lying Eyes
Strong
(grammar) Inflecting in a different manner than the one called weak, such as Germanic verbs which change vowels.
A strong verb
Strong
(chemistry) That completely ionizes into anions and cations in a solution.
A strong acid;
A strong base
Strong
(military) Not easily subdued or taken.
A strong position
Strong
Having wealth or resources.
A strong economy
Strong
Impressive, good.
You're working with troubled youth in your off time? That’s strong!
Strong
Having a specified number of people or units.
The enemy's army force was five thousand strong.
Strong
(of a disease or symptom) Severe; very bad or intense.
Strong
Having a wide range of logical consequences; widely applicable. (Often contrasted with a weak statement which it implies.)
Strong
(of an argument) Convincing.
Strong
In a strong manner.
Strong
Having active physical power, or great physical power to act; having a power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous.
That our oxen may be strong to labor.
Orses the strong to greater strength must yield.
Strong
Having passive physical power; having ability to bear or endure; firm; hale; sound; robust; as, a strong constitution; strong health.
Strong
Solid; tough; not easily broken or injured; able to withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a strong fortress or town.
Strong
Having great military or naval force; powerful; as, a strong army or fleet; a nation strong at sea.
Strong
Having great wealth, means, or resources; as, a strong house, or company of merchants.
Strong
Reaching a certain degree or limit in respect to strength or numbers; as, an army ten thousand strong.
Strong
Moving with rapidity or force; violent; forcible; impetuous; as, a strong current of water or wind; the wind was strong from the northeast; a strong tide.
Strong
Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; striking or superior of the kind; powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example; strong language.
Strong
Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as, a strong partisan; a strong Whig or Tory.
Her mother, ever strong against that match.
Strong
Having virtues of great efficacy; or, having a particular quality in a great degree; as, a strong powder or tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea or coffee.
Strong
Full of spirit; containing a large proportion of alcohol; intoxicating; as, strong liquors.
Strong
Affecting any sense powerfully; as, strong light, colors, etc.; a strong flavor of onions; a strong scent.
Strong
Solid; nourishing; as, strong meat.
Strong
Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as, a strong custom; a strong belief.
Strong
Violent; vehement; earnest; ardent.
He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears.
Strong
Having great force, vigor, power, or the like, as the mind, intellect, or any faculty; as, a man of a strong mind, memory, judgment, or imagination.
I was stronger in prophecy than in criticism.
Strong
Vigorous; effective; forcible; powerful.
Like her sweet voice is thy harmonious song,As high, as sweet, as easy, and as strong.
Strong
Tending to higher prices; rising; as, a strong market.
Strong
Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its preterit (imperfect) by a variation in the root vowel, and the past participle (usually) by the addition of -en (with or without a change of the root vowel); as in the verbs strive, strove, striven; break, broke, broken; drink, drank, drunk. Opposed to weak, or regular. See Weak.
Strong
Having strength or power greater than average or expected;
A strong radio signal
Strong medicine
A strong man
Strong
Used of syllables or musical beats
Strong
Not faint or feeble;
A strong odor of burning rubber
Strong
Having or wielding force or authority;
Providing the ground soldier with increasingly potent weapons
Strong
Having a strong physiological or chemical effect;
A potent toxin
Potent liquor
A potent cup of tea
Strong
Able to withstand attack;
An impregnable fortress
Fortifications that made the frontier inviolable
Strong
Of good quality and condition; solidly built;
A solid foundation
Several substantial timber buildings
Strong
Of verbs not having standard (or regular) inflection;
`sing' is a strong verb
Strong
Having a high alcoholic content;
Hard liquor
Strong
Freshly made or left;
A warm trail
The scent is warm
Strong
Strong and sure;
A firm grasp
Gave a strong pull on the rope
Strong
Intense or potent in nature.
The coffee was very Strong.
FAQs
Can someone be Brave but not Strong?
Absolutely. Being Brave relates to courage, while being Strong can refer to physical or moral strength.
Is bravery only about facing danger?
No, being Brave can also involve standing up for what's right or facing emotional challenges.
Does being Strong always refer to physical might?
No, being Strong can also relate to emotional or moral strength.
How can someone cultivate bravery?
By facing fears, taking risks, and learning from past experiences, one can become more Brave.
How are bravery and strength related?
While they can overlap, bravery often pertains to courage in adversity, while strength can refer to physical power or resilience.
Can animals be described as Brave or Strong?
Yes, animals can be described as being Brave in certain situations or physically Strong.
Is it better to be Brave or Strong?
Neither is inherently better. It depends on the context, and often being both Brave and Strong is advantageous.
What's the difference between a strong flavor and a brave flavor?
A Strong flavor is intense or potent, while "brave flavor" isn't a standard term in American English.
How can someone become Stronger?
Physically, through exercise and training; emotionally, through personal growth and facing challenges.
Can strong be used in a metaphorical sense?
Absolutely. Someone can have a Strong presence or a Strong influence, neither of which is physical.
Can buildings be Brave?
Not typically. However, buildings can be Strong or sturdy.
Is there a difference between moral bravery and physical bravery?
Yes, moral bravery is about standing up for beliefs or rights, while physical bravery is facing physical danger.
Do Strong people never cry?
Strength isn't about suppressing emotions. A Strong person can express emotions, including crying.
Are Brave people fearless?
Not necessarily. Being Brave often means acting despite feeling fear.
Is it common to describe someone as both Brave and Strong?
Yes, especially if the person displays both courage and physical/emotional resilience.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
