courageous

adjective

cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs How to pronounce courageous (audio)
: having or characterized by courage : brave
a courageous soldier
a courageous decision
courageously adverb
courageousness noun

Examples of courageous in a Sentence

She was a courageous woman who wasn't afraid to support unpopular causes. the courageous decision to quit rather than obey an illegal order
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.
Occasionally we are confronted with stories, like the founding of Knox College [established in 1837 by abolitionists committed to educating women and people of color] , where some person or some group of people chose the unpopular, but morally courageous path. Hanna Hart, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 The event series is based on The Old Testament’s Book of Genesis and told through the eyes of the courageous and passionate yet flawed women whose descendants would shape three of the world’s great faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Denise Petski, Deadline, 27 June 2025 Robin Hood and his merry men were yeomen of the most courageous sort. Charles Hammer, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2025 Thompson was rare, courageous workhorse in Florida politics | Commentary Columnist Scott Maxwell says that legislator Geraldine Thompson was a rarity in Florida politics — smart, well-informed and courageous. Scott Maxwell, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for courageous

Word History

Etymology

Middle English corageous, borrowed from Anglo-French corajus, from corage courage + -us, -ous -ous

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of courageous was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Courageous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courageous. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

courageous

adjective
cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs How to pronounce courageous (audio)
: having or marked by courage : brave
courageously adverb
courageousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on courageous

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