as in brave
informal
having or showing a lot of courage or determination
A plucky young man who never gave up on his dream.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 plucky
The American men were once the plucky underdogs of international soccer, always willing to run for 90 minutes and gut out a tough, gritty game.
—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
28 June 2026
But Marsch's plucky team responded by winning this tournament's first round of 32 match and reaching the round of 16 for the first time in its three trips to the World Cup.
—
ABC News,
28 June 2026
On Wednesday evening, our plucky champion of America’s downtrodden masses, and the Democratic nominee for Senate, was in Chicago for a fundraiser with JB Pritzker.
—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
25 June 2026
Later, just a stone’s throw away, a dancer in a fiery red blouse shimmies onstage, matching the rhythm of a plucky tune in Spanish.
—
Cameron Pugh,
Christian Science Monitor,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for plucky
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
28 June 2026
But Marsch's plucky team responded by winning this tournament's first round of 32 match and reaching the round of 16 for the first time in its three trips to the World Cup.
—
ABC News,
28 June 2026
On Wednesday evening, our plucky champion of America’s downtrodden masses, and the Democratic nominee for Senate, was in Chicago for a fundraiser with JB Pritzker.
—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
25 June 2026
Later, just a stone’s throw away, a dancer in a fiery red blouse shimmies onstage, matching the rhythm of a plucky tune in Spanish.
—
Cameron Pugh,
Christian Science Monitor,
24 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for plucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucky
Adjective
-
Good luck to these brave souls, who will face countless questions about this event at premieres and upfronts for the rest of their lives.
-
Clive was big, and bombastic, and brave, and full of ideas, and just believed, believed, believed, believed.
Adjective
-
While this happened during my tenure as Superintendent, the hard and courageous work of the members of the Chicago Police Department should be given the credit.
-
In another less courageous version, Carmy would simply learn to delegate and calm down rather than admit there was no healthy way forward for him at the Bear.
Adjective
-
Tunisia put up a valiant effort despite the nonstop Dutch offensive.
-
And if the heat doesn’t get to you first, the humidity is sure to make a valiant attempt.
Adjective
-
Tops on that list is the late Grateful Dead founder Bob Weir — who died in January at 78 — as a model for a band staying fearless and uncompromising.
-
Miller is one of the badass women who have starred in the Power Universe, a franchise that does a great job of spotlighting strong and fearless female characters.
Adjective
-
All etched into the face of a man who spent his presidency fighting to hold together a nation that seemed determined to tear itself apart.
-
Well, Ariana seems to remember, whereas Hudson is determined to just undo the breakup and pretend like none of it ever happened.
Adjective
-
Clearly, Americans didn’t do gallant failure, instead demanding domination over mere participation every time.
-
But the Ballances were more than gallant warriors – in fact, a life-size oil painting of Marti’s great-grandfather Charles Ballance’s wife and children – including her grandfather Willis as a 3-year-old – hangs in a place of honor at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield.
Adjective
-
England’s fierce attacks in the second half were thwarted by a resolute American defense and a series of saves by goalkeeper Frank Borghi.
-
Spielberg has been resolute in his beliefs since before Disclosure Day entered production.
Adjective
-
He had been dressed as a woman among the king’s daughters in order to avoid participating in the Trojan War and ultimately his fate to die a young heroic death, as opposed to a long life of obscurity.
-
Although Bichette now plays for the Mets, his accomplishments with the Blue Jays continue to resonate throughout the city, especially after a heroic moment in last year’s Fall Classic.
Cite this Entry
“Plucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucky. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
