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.
Related Words
See brave.
Other Word Forms
- courageously adverb
- courageousness noun
- uncourageous adjective
- uncourageously adverb
- uncourageousness noun
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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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.
Lebanon's government has acted against Iranian interests and withdrew its approval of the Iranian ambassador's accreditation on Tuesday, a decision Barrot hailed as "courageous".
From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026
In a statement on Facebook, Campbell's family said he had died after a "long and courageous battle in intensive care following a complex major operation".
From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026
The band called the record “. . .an immediate response to current events and inspired by the many extraordinary and courageous people fighting on the frontlines of freedom.”
From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026
Our critic said the series “is courageous in several ways, including its recognition that people aren’t simple, or easily defined, even for the purposes of crime drama.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
“The courageous Lion can’t let you knuckleheads go out there alone.”
From "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia C. Pérez
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.
