ballsy
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ballsy
1955–60; balls (in the sense “boldness, courage, brashness”) + -y 1; cf. -sy
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.
See Examples For:
As if releasing a pro-stealing film in a very anti-theft corporate culture weren’t ballsy enough, radical filmmaker Boots Riley grabs everything from the kitchen sink and tosses it into the blender for “I Love Boosters.”
From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026
“They’re pretty ballsy, but they know what they’re doing.”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2023
“One intensely sad and angry and insecure, the other a ballsy bravado performance for public consumption.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2023
"I walked by it, and I thought that going for it was going to be ballsy, but the fact that he pulled it off and even had a birdie look was just incredible."
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2022
I couldn't believe my mom was encouraging me to be so ballsy.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
But I’m also richer, more powerful and ballsier than everyone else.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 28, 2016
You might expect J. Edgar to trump The Private Files with even ballsier revelations or, taking the high road, more elevated insights.
From Time ● Nov. 8, 2011
It’s something Jensen calls “the ballsiest thing I’ve ever seen a person do.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2025
“I think it's probably one of the ballsiest moves that has ever been made in the history of the hip-hop business,” says hip-hop historian Jeff Chang, author of the book Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.
From Slate ● Feb. 25, 2014
The conference prank isn't even their ballsiest, or their funniest.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 22, 2012
Ladies and gentlemen, the ballsiest letter ever written.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2012
The result is the blackest, ballsiest political comedy since Dr. Strangelove.
From Time ● Nov. 19, 2010
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