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Gritty comes from grit ("small hard granules"), which in turn derives, via Middle English, from an Old English word for "sand" or "gravel." Grit has been around since before the 12th century, but the first appearance of gritty in print in English was near the end of the 16th century, when it was used in the sense of "resembling or containing small hard granules." Grit entered American slang with the meaning "courage or persistence" in the early 19th century, and gritty followed suit with a corresponding "plucky" sense. By the 19th century's end, gritty was also being used to describe a literary style that was rough and coarse.
Examples of gritty in a Sentence
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Oct. 2024
Nadal, 38, stood out from his peers and was admired by fans as a gritty fighter who rose to become one of the greatest tennis players of all time.
—Lindsey Leake, Fortune Europe, 11 Oct. 2024
Director: Rex Miller Producers: Elisabeth Haviland James, Laura Lee Flanagan
From a harsh Bronx childhood to punk legend at 13, Harley Flanagan’s story unfolds through gritty NYC footage and interviews with icons like Flea and Ice-T, capturing his journey from chaos to peace.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2024
Taste test: If the flavor tastes off, is sour, bitter, or has a slimy or gritty texture, discard it.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for gritty 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gritty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Gritty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gritty. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.
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