gutsy
Americanadjective
-
gutsier,
comparative
-
gutsiest
superlative
-
having a great deal of courage or nerve.
a gutsy lampooner of the administration.
-
robust, vigorous, or earthy; lusty.
gutsy writing; a gutsy red wine.
adjective
-
gluttonous; greedy
-
full of courage, determination, or boldness
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Put on a Bold Face: Synonyms for "Brave"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Schwa Was Here
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The Rams lean on a strong performance by their defense and gutsy efforts from Kyren Williams and Matthew Stafford in a 24-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
The gutsy hold laid the platform for Gauff to immediately break for 4-3 before securing victory with another service game which displayed her belief.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
In a gutsy move she opted not to make a closing argument.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
And two months later, they travelled to Glasgow and spoiled Wilfried Nancy's first match as Celtic boss, winning 2-1 in a gutsy display.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
Matilda liked her because she was gutsy and adventurous.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
But this was one of the gutsier efforts by a Seattle defensive line in years led by newcomers Uchenna Nwosu and Shelby Harris, who each seemed to come up with one big play after another.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 12, 2022
Kapler called it "one of the gutsier performances of the year from anybody in our pen."
From Fox News ● Sep. 23, 2021
Sweetgreen’s gutsier menu innovations are intended for the new 3.0 format or in delivery-only “ghost kitchens,” like the one the company will soon build in Manhattan.
From New York Times ● Jan. 4, 2020
This time she was both more conventional and gutsier, with Beethoven's Second Symphony; Mozart's late Piano Concerto No. 24, with David Fray as soloist; and the U.S. premiere of Dai Fujikura's "Secret Forest."
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2018
To wish they were better, gutsier, more harmonious feminists is a needless distraction: far better to wish them part of a bigger choir.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 21, 2017
One of the gutsiest plays was a 14-yard throw over the middle to Tee Higgins on third down with 1:59 left.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 5, 2022
All they needed to know was that Morton did one of the gutsiest things they have ever seen.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 26, 2021
She is the gutsiest, most curious person I have ever been around, and my world is much larger with her in it.
From New York Times ● Oct. 1, 2020
“That’s one of the gutsiest things that I’ve seen, when he was embracing the booing, and that type of stuff. That took a lot of cojones, as they say,” seven-time Grand Slam champion McEnroe said.
From Reuters ● Jan. 16, 2020
Roach said that, even as Pacquiao was turning in perhaps the best, certainly the gutsiest, performance of his long career, he saw some hints that the time to step away is now.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2019
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
