courageous
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does courageous mean? Courageous means having, showing, or done with courage—the quality of being ready and willing to face negative situations involving danger or pain. Courageous can be used to describe people who have courage, or the actions of such people when they face negative situations resolutely. A close synonym is brave. Being courageous is often thought of as facing such situations without fear, but it also involves facing them despite fear. In other words, someone who’s courageous might not be fearless, but they face the dangerous, difficult, or frightening situation anyway. Example: I especially want to thank our courageous first responders, who face danger every day but still, somehow, decide to show up and put the wellbeing of other people before their own safety.
Synonym Usage
See brave.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of courageous
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English corageous, from Anglo-French curajous, Old French corageus, from corage courage + -eus -eous
Explanation
If you are a courageous person, you face danger or stand up against the odds without flinching. Known as "The Man without Fear," Daredevil is regarded as a very courageous superhero. The adjective courageous derives from the Old French word corage, meaning "heart, innermost feelings, or temper." In fairytales, the courageous knight battles the fire breathing dragon to save the princess. In recognition of their courageous actions, soldiers who have been wounded or killed while serving are given the Purple Heart medal.
Vocabulary lists containing courageous
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The long par-four had yielded only four birdies all day, but the courageous Fox did not take a step back as he chased down long-time clubhouse leader Young.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Surely, Mr. McGurn’s friend has taken a courageous, life-affirming step.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
But a thoughtful and courageous Congress could go further than just pushing for equality in school sports.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
Anything’s possible, and you just have to be courageous and see where it takes you.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
During the summer of 1942, a group of courageous University of Munich students took action when they heard about the plight of the Jews.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
