gusto
Americannoun
plural
gustoesnoun
Etymology
Origin of gusto
First recorded in 1620–30; from Italian, from Latin gustus; see gust 2
Explanation
You can do many things with gusto, or hearty enthusiasm, whether it's eating a steak, playing table tennis, or cheering on your favorite team. Some people live their whole lives with gusto. Since the 17th century, gusto has been helping English speakers describe things that are done with vigor and enthusiasm. Gusto is Italian for “taste,” and its Italian origins are evident both in its spelling, with its “o” ending, and its sense of “a taste for life." Use this word to describe vigorous activities — you probably wouldn’t "take a nap with gusto," even if you really enjoy napping. You're more likely to cheer on your favorite team or dance the tango with gusto.
Vocabulary lists containing gusto
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 8
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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.
Spittal's goal, driven in with gusto, could form a part of Scottish football history in a few weeks time.
From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026
Tasting the coffee properly requires slurping it with gusto, hence the music to mask the sounds of dozens of people slurping and spitting.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Only 39, he took up the role with gusto, launching into an anti-crime drive that proved popular with the electorate but not enough to keep his head off the chopping block.
From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026
Rep. Jamie Raskin unpacks the AG Pam Bondi hearing with gusto; Trump remakes DC in his own image; and the complexities of patriotism at the Olympics.
From Slate • Feb. 12, 2026
Hedge danced through the tentacles with his nimble goat hooves, smashing away with gusto.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
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.
