grit 1 of 2

noun

ˈgrit How to pronounce grit (audio)
Definition of gritnext
as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship she was an athlete with true grit, continuing her training despite bad weather and an injury

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

grit

2 of 2

verb

as in to scrape
to press or strike against or together so as to make a scraping sound the crash victim gritted his teeth as a way of coping with the pain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of grit
Noun
Carlos Baleba offers United a different profile to Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, a combination of energy, defensive grit, and ball-carrying that should suit Carrick’s midfield well. — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 More than two centuries later, Washington is again hosting sporting events to celebrate 250 years of national grit. — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
Some combination of Viel, Johnston and Harkins could return on modest deals to add depth and grit to the group. — Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 10 June 2026 When my grandchildren were around recently, Marie was gritting her teeth because her nerves were so frayed. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for grit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for grit
  1. courage
  2. scrape
  3. fortitude
  4. scratch
  5. bravery
  6. grind
  7. stamina
  8. spunk
Noun
  • As her translator, Anedda’s thought, as well as some of her courage, became part of my existence in the long months such a project entails.
    — Wallis Wilde-Menozzi, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
  • With their conceit, the clout chasers have turned his courage into a template without asking what made the original worth copying.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of courage
Verb
  • Together, the family scraped together $60,000 from savings and a Small Business Administration loan and opened Panda Inn in Pasadena, California, in 1973.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Burger King has 286 locations in Ohio, according to the data-scraping website ScrapeHero.
    — Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of scrape
Noun
  • Richards somehow had the fortitude to continue a grueling European tour in the middle of all this chaos and sorrow, but a stadium run through America at the end of the summer was simply too much to ask.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Camping can be either a delightful pastime or a test of fortitude, depending largely on the bug situation.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of fortitude
Verb
  • Health officials say people can prevent rabies by keeping bats out of homes, vaccinating their pets and washing bites or scratches with soap and water before seeking medical help.
    — Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Marte began his week by failing to show up to Fenway Park for the team’s game against the Boston Red Sox on Monday and was scratched from the lineup minutes before first pitch.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of scratch
Noun
  • The size of the wave highlights the ocean’s raw power and the bravery of the surfer.
    — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • That, compounded by plummeting hormones that cause vaginal dryness and painful intercourse, makes this moment for many midlife women a test in bravery.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of bravery
Verb
  • The intricacies of the interpersonal dynamics and conversational turns in the scene ground the dispute in emotion, and two characters who were once at odds find common ground.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Kruz and Josie catch the guy’s eye on the dance floor and invite him to join their impromptu grinding session, which is also when Joe catches the pair touching in a way that suggests relationship-level familiarity.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of grind
Noun
  • That's far better than most other gaming handhelds, especially compared with my personal Pocket, which has seen a severe drop in stamina over the last few years and can now only last two or three hours at best.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But what stuck out more than the Giants’ toughness in those skirmishes was their football stamina.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of stamina
Noun
  • But Alcock is no John Wayne or Jeff Bridges, and Ridley lacks the spunk of Kim Darby and Hailee Steinfeld.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 24 June 2026
  • These small, high-energy pups have plenty of spunk and a big heart.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 11 June 2026
Definition of spunk

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Cite this Entry

“Grit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/grit. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on grit

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about grit

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