gut check

noun

: a test or assessment of courage, character, or determination

Examples of gut check in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That gut check works for most decisions. Vinay Kuruvila, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 But a week full of gut checks resulted in the biggest win in club history thus far. Idaho Statesman, 21 June 2026 Experienced in these kinds of gut checks, perhaps the Thunder will absorb the next round, too. Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026 Music that questions your psyche and health, worries for your ecosystem, gut checks your self-worth and pride, and keeps you lifted. Ian Brennan, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gut check

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gut check was in 1963

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gut check.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gut%20check. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster