ballsy

adjective

ball·​sy ˈbȯl-zē How to pronounce ballsy (audio)
ballsier; ballsiest
informal + sometimes offensive
: aggressively bold : gutsy, nervy
ballsiness noun

Examples of ballsy in a Sentence

She's quite a ballsy lawyer. a ballsy attempt to sneak out of the house
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.
There’s something inherently ballsy about the fact that Nintendo has never really bothered to modernize Pokémon. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

ball entry 1

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ballsy was in 1935

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ballsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballsy. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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