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

Others fell in love with the small corgi walking at the front of the group, at times circling back like a courageous leader making sure nobody got left behind. —Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026

Mahajan remains contagiously courageous and (narratively) humble. —Sibani Ram, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026

Poetry has been a constant, courageous form of confronting raw truths. —Jane M. Saks, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026

The torches reference a story in Kurdish mythology in which a courageous blacksmith assembles an army of villagers and kills a murderous king — signaling with the mountain-top flames that the Kurds are free. —Jane Arraf, NPR, 21 Mar. 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