noun
Etymology
Origin of moxie
An Americanism first recorded in 1925–30; after Moxie, a trademark (name of a soft drink)
Explanation
If you have moxie, you won’t let a minor setback stop you from trying again, because you’re a determined person who doesn’t give up easily. Moxie describes someone with a fighting spirit. A boxer needs moxie in order to get up after being punched in the face, and a computer programmer who spends years building a video game has a lot of moxie. The word moxie comes from a soft drink named Moxie that tastes like sugary cough medicine and claimed it would “build up your nerve.” Someone who is brave enough to drink an entire can of that curious beverage clearly has moxie.
Vocabulary lists containing moxie
Ben Zimmer's 30 Great American Words
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The Schwa Was Here
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Max in the House of Spies
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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.
Japan had real moxie in 1985, when this population cohort slowly started to narrow.
From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025
It didn’t happen overnight, took a lot of moxie and grit, but we made it through.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
That moxie to still be involved despite his injury is one of the reasons why England like Bashir.
From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025
Ordaz also showed a bit of moxie midway through the first half Wednesday when he tangled with veteran Miami defender Maximiliano Falcón, who baited his young opponent all game.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2025
You ain't got the moxie to handle no mobs, remember?
From The Best Made Plans by Dongen, H. R. van
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.
