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Synonyms

plucky

American  
[pluhk-ee] / ˈplʌk i /

adjective

pluckier, pluckiest

  1. having or showing pluck or courage; brave.

    The drowning swimmer was rescued by a plucky schoolboy.
    Synonyms:
    spirited, spunky, cheerful, determined, courageous
plucky British  
/ ˈplʌkɪ /

adjective

  1. having or showing courage in the face of difficulties, danger, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • pluckily adverb
  • pluckiness noun

Etymology

Origin of plucky

First recorded in 1820–30; pluck + -y 1

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.

And though the devastation wrought by last year’s fire was unprecedented in its scale, the Schneiders remain optimistic about the future of their beloved enclave and its plucky local paper.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2026

The opportunity to identify with a plucky little plumber made the game a global sensation, leading to the creation of “Super Mario Bros.” and its sequels to the present day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

We all know the story: Take That were five plucky northern lads, formed in 1990 around the songwriting talents of bow-tied lounge singer Gary Barlow.

From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026

Time and time again on “Parks and Recreation,” the intrepid and plucky Leslie cut through legislative red tape and won over her enemies, and the ones she couldn’t persuade always looked like cold-hearted fools.

From Salon • Jan. 16, 2026

It was not an easy trick, for the clever seal or the plucky young governess.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

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.