courageous

adjective

cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs 

: having or characterized by courage : brave

a courageous soldier

a courageous decision

courageously adverb

courageousness noun

Synonyms of courageous

• brave
• fearless
• valiant
• heroic
• gallant
• bold

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

Now in its fifth year, the Albies is the Clooney Foundation’s annual ceremony, which shines an international spotlight on courageous individuals who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of justice, often at great personal risk. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026

Yet elsewhere in the book Hirschman acknowledged that breaking from the team, however courageous, can have perverse consequences, especially in organizations responsible for the provision of public goods like education and crime prevention. — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Then, the very next day, Mars will march into the courageous sign of Leo, trading the crab’s defensive and hyper-protective instincts for bold self-expression and a whole lot of swag! — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026

The courageous woman at the center of that series survived long enough to give a dying statement, in the hope that her testimony would set a precedent and make the world safer for others. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for courageous

• advantageous
• contagious
• outrageous
• disadvantageous

Kids Definition

courageous

adjective

cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs 

: having or marked by courage : brave

courageously adverb

courageousness noun