1
as in adventurous
inclined or willing to take risks
a gutsy coach willing to let her team improvise on the court
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in courageous
feeling or displaying no fear by temperament
they were gutsy enough to attempt a rescue on their own
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of gutsy
Channelling this voice allows for the sort of gutsy, big-hearted romp that’s unusual even for a first-time novelist.
—
Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
That was followed by a gutsy 10-3 win at Texas A&M, a 24-10 win over defending national champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and a back-and-forth 31-27 win over the Ole Miss Rebels in the Fiesta Bowl to earn a spot in the title game.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
Georgia pulled off a gutsy special-teams trick play that could have been hailed for years by Georgia fans.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Jennifer is scrappy, gutsy, and one of a kind.
—Elle McLogan, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gutsy
Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
That was followed by a gutsy 10-3 win at Texas A&M, a 24-10 win over defending national champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and a back-and-forth 31-27 win over the Ole Miss Rebels in the Fiesta Bowl to earn a spot in the title game.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
Georgia pulled off a gutsy special-teams trick play that could have been hailed for years by Georgia fans.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Jennifer is scrappy, gutsy, and one of a kind.
—Elle McLogan, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gutsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gutsy
Adjective
-
The fire sign is a direct, bold, fiery, passionate force to be reckoned with, which is ideal for anyone who dreams of an adventurous, perhaps even globetrotting affair.—
Maressa Brown,
InStyle,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Royal Caribbean Best for adventurous couples cruises Couples cruises on Royal Caribbean are affordable, packed with fun things to do on board, and sail to romantic destinations.—
Megan duBois,
USA Today,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
After a long and courageous battle with cancer, James passed away on February 11, 2026 leaving behind his devoted wife, Kimberly, and their six wonderful children.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Braver Angels has created a cross-partisan Civic Scholars Council to explore the meanings of courageous citizenship and examine lessons of America’s civic history from different vantages.—
Harry Boyte,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
His daring, sometimes reckless style had caught up to him.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Five minutes can be an eternity in montage time, but the movie’s lengthy introduction is a daring announcement of historical scope.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Bravo to ProPublica for asking for those letters, and bravo to the children brave enough to write them.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The dynamic Sun in your 11th House of Friendship engages with therapeutic Chiron in your 1st House of Identity, inviting brave shares within your social circles.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
A little more than a week and five wins later, his young, talented and fearless team has delivered.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Chen, then 18 years old in his Olympic debut, bounced back in a fearless free skate that moved him into fifth overall.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
With Steph Curry in street clothes for the second consecutive game while dealing with runner’s knee, the 11-man Golden State put up a valiant effort that resulted in a come-from-behind 101-97 win.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
An eight-point halftime lead completely vanished, and after a valiant comeback effort, SMU point guard Boopie Miller’s game-winning shot was blocked at the buzzer.—
Lia Assimakopoulos,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
His bold team selection against Palace — giving 17-year-old England youth international Harry Howell his full Premier League debut on the right flank and 18-year-old Greek centre-forward Charalampos Kostoulas his second league start — did not pay off.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
However, Musk is known for delivering bold statements and shifting timelines.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Dailyn Swain has delivered heroic performances in his first season with Texas basketball.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
-
These ventures can be heroic, as when Tommie Smith and John Carlos valiantly raised their fists as a Black Power salute in Mexico City in 1968.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gutsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gutsy. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
