gut check

noun

: a test or assessment of courage, character, or determination

Examples of gut check in a Sentence

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.
But running such a gut check against every single sentence or reference an LLM offers would be overwhelming—especially given that increasing efficiency is a major reason to use an LLM. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2025 But Eilish also used the opportunity to send a proverbial gut check to some attendees of the event. Mikelle Street, Them., 30 Oct. 2025 The conference was meant to be a kind of gut check. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025 The so-far-modest gut check has essentially taken the S & P 500 to a near-touch of its 50-day moving average after an unusually long stretch holding above it. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gut check

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gut check was in 1963

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Cite this Entry

“Gut check.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gut%20check. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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