gutsy
Americanadjective
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having a great deal of courage or nerve.
a gutsy lampooner of the administration.
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robust, vigorous, or earthy; lusty.
gutsy writing; a gutsy red wine.
adjective
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gluttonous; greedy
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full of courage, determination, or boldness
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gutsy
1890–95; guts ( def. ) (in the sense “fortitude”) + -y 1; cf. -sy
Explanation
If someone's gutsy, they're bold and spirited. The gutsy pilot Amelia Earhart defied cultural expectations and braved dangerous situations to set many records in aviation. Beyond their courage and bravery, a gutsy person also has grit and determination, often facing several challenges at once. A gutsy athlete plays through pain, and a gutsy activist confronts challenges head-on and keeps working for the cause she believes in. Around 1800, gutsy meant "greedy," but by the end of the 19th century it came to be defined as "brave and plucky," from the figurative "spirits or courage" sense of guts.
Vocabulary lists containing gutsy
Matilda
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Put on a Bold Face: Synonyms for "Brave"
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The Schwa Was Here
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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.
No-one expected the African minnows to have a chance but their gutsy display, and heroics of 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, will live long in the memory.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
Because LeBron James looked superhuman since playing those 45 minutes, including all five gutsy minutes of ovetime.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
Like all great players, McIlroy ironed out his swing kinks and sacrificed distance with the driver for a greater accuracy which underpinned a gutsy one-under 71 in Sunday's finale.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
The effort has showcased military and intelligence brilliance and gutsy leadership.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
For if a person could crack under heat or cold, a combination of the two seemed guaranteed to do in even the gutsy Galadriel.
From "The Great Gilly Hopkins" by Katherine Paterson
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.
