gutsier; gutsiest
1
: marked by courage, pluck, or determination
a gutsy little fighter
a gutsy decision
2
a
: expressing or characterized by basic physical senses or passions
gutsy macho talk
gutsy country blues
b
: rough or plain in style : not bland or sophisticated
a gutsy soup
gutsily adverb
gutsiness noun

Examples of gutsy in a Sentence

That was a very gutsy decision. a gutsy coach willing to let her team improvise on the court
Recent Examples on the Web Zendaya’s gutsy Chani, on the other hand, seems fully formed right now. Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Feb. 2024 The Aztecs got 23 points in a gutsy performance by Jaedon LeDee, who looked particularly bothered by the elevation but kept making elbow jumpers with defenders draped on him. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2024 Over the course of eight seasons her gutsy character grew into a hero, as off-camera Williams, now 26, simply grew up. Jason Sheeler, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024 Nowhere in the paper’s archives are contemporaneous accounts about how Ben’s, and its gutsy owners, had survived the riots that followed Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968, and the many tumultuous years after. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 However, Hiltz is a gutsy runner who has also broken an American record. Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Purdy found Kittle on a gutsy fourth-down play, and then Jennings came up big again. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024 Paired with his gutsy performances, Silver adds that these are crucial ingredients in the pair’s success. Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 9 Feb. 2024 Curacao The Curacao Suns clinched their spot in the semifinals with a gutsy 2-0 win over Puerto Rico on Wednesday to go 3-3. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gutsy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gutsy was circa 1893

Dictionary Entries Near gutsy

Cite this Entry

“Gutsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gutsy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gutsy

adjective
gutsier; gutsiest
: aggressively tough : courageous
a gutsy decision
a gutsy hockey player
gutsiness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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