gritty

[ grit-ee ]

adjective

, grit·ti·er, grit·ti·est.

1. consisting of, containing, or resembling grit; sandy.
2. resolute and courageous; plucky.

gritty

/ ˈɡrɪtɪ /

adjective

1. courageous; hardy; resolute
2. of, like, or containing grit

Derived Forms

• ˈgrittiness, noun
• ˈgrittily, adverb

Other Words From

• gritti·ly adverb
• gritti·ness noun
• un·gritty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gritty¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; grit + -y ¹

Example Sentences

The book manages to do justice to Oak Flat as its own universe of nitty-gritty legal details and clashing interests, but one that’s also representative of broader dynamics and abuses that have played out in America for centuries.

From Outside Online

It’s just sometimes a little bit gritty because the truth is maybe not what people thought.

From Outside Online

Simply melting sand, which is mostly silica, will make glass, but that gritty stuff won’t get the kind of optical purity needed to ping light around the globe.

From Popular-Science

Enter Richardson, a former Philadelphia 76er who has a reputation as a “tough and gritty” player who has spent his whole NBA career in the more physical Eastern Conference.

From FiveThirtyEight

As a private company, Zocdoc doesn’t reveal the nitty-gritty of its metrics.

From Fortune

Though it may have been a depressing environment, the gritty streets of Washington gave Gil plenty of inspiration for his lyrics.

From The Daily Beast

The dramatic popularization of a phrase like “nitty-gritty” demonstrates that language is always changing across social contexts.

From The Daily Beast

By Rich Goldstein Are audiences tired with caped crusaders and gritty reboots?

From The Daily Beast

Are audiences tired with caped crusaders and gritty reboots?

From The Daily Beast

You really were ahead of your time with Twin Peaks—this gritty, engrossing serial TV drama.

From The Daily Beast

Its quality is determined by the greater or less proportion of silicious or gritty matter with which its fibres are associated.

From Project Gutenberg

Gasping for breath and crunching for foothold the sidewalk people breasted the gritty cold.

From Project Gutenberg

Let us sit down here facing it by these broken stones, where we can be a little sheltered from the chilly wind and gritty sand.

From Project Gutenberg

Put ammonia or borax in the water used, or else rub the glass with whiting, or a scouring soap which is not gritty.

From Project Gutenberg

Over the lamentable procession hung a fog of gritty chalk particles that had been winnowed up by the plodding feet.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dusty
• grainy
• rough