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Synonyms

gritty

American  
[grit-ee] / ˈgrɪt i /

adjective

grittier, grittiest

  1. consisting of, containing, or resembling grit; sandy.

  2. resolute and courageous; plucky.

gritty British  
/ ˈɡrɪtɪ /

adjective

  1. courageous; hardy; resolute

  2. of, like, or containing grit

"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

  • grittily adverb
  • grittiness noun
  • ungritty adjective

Etymology

Origin of gritty

First recorded in 1590–1600; grit + -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.

Itauma initially "wanted to be world champion by 20", but these gritty encounters tempered that ambition.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Skenes, 23, held the Dominican Republic’s collection of superstars to just one run over 4 ⅓ gritty innings, powering the Americans to a thrilling 2-1 win.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The performance was in the sharpest of contrasts to what has been seen under Tudor so far – gritty, resilient, threatening.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

“I’m not in a position where I can overreact,” Redick said when asked about the significance of a gritty win for a team that hasn’t accumulated many of them this season.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

Water Claire had come in clothing, though it had been shredded by the gritty winter sea.

From "Son" by Lois Lowry

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.