gritty

adjective

Definition of grittynext
1
as in unflinching

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in sandy

Related Words

Dissimilar Words
3
as in vivid

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 gritty England absorbed wave after wave of Mexican pressure before hanging on for a gritty 3-2 victory, advancing to the quarterfinals against Norway. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026 King amongst those has been Cape Verde, with its heroic, defiant, gritty trip to the knockouts nearly paying off as the Tubarões Azuis almost produced one of the greatest upsets in sports history against defending World Cup champion Argentina. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 4 July 2026 Trent Grisham hit a leadoff homer and a sacrifice fly in his return from a strained right hamstring, and Gerrit Cole (3-3) pitched five gritty innings to help the Yankees end their longest slide since a nine-game skid in August 2023. — ABC News, 3 July 2026 Acciari is a gritty veteran with playoff experience who had a positive impact in the Flyers’ first round win over his Pittsburgh Penguins in April. — Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for gritty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gritty
  1. unflinching
  2. sandy
  3. vivid
  4. plucky
  5. earthy
  6. expressive
  7. resolute
  8. gravelly
Adjective
  • Like many great works of American literature, the book is an unflinching portrait of a seemingly happy family held together by hubris and fear of change.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
  • Nolan Hurd, 26, sat silent and unflinching while being handed the sentence by Superior Court Judge Jennifer Madden Ragland, who openly questioned the man’s remorse in the January 2022 death of his girlfriend, Nikha Marcella DeGuzman.
    — Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 23 June 2026
Definition of unflinching
Adjective
  • Hawai’i is home to a variety of beaches, from white sandy beaches to rocky shorelines; a day at the beach can differ greatly from one area to another.
    — Laurie Lyons-Makaimoku, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026
  • Yet another photo saw Hudson washing her feet after a sandy beach session, accessorizing with her straw hat and an oversized straw bag.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 July 2026
Definition of sandy
Adjective
  • This past weekend offered a vivid reminder of that purpose and our mission in motion.
    — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
  • Color, particularly the vivid hues of local birds and flowers as well as the more muted tones of sand and rock, was as important to her as material, with layering also playing a part in both her sculptures and her works on paper.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 9 July 2026
Definition of vivid
Adjective
  • This World Cup has made unlikely international stars out of a plucky Cape Verde squad, further catapulted the status of gargantuan Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and firmly planted Lionel Messi as the greatest player of his generation.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Robert Duncan McNeill, a Trek alum from a key The Next Generation episode, was pivotal to Voyager as the plucky pilot Tom Paris.
    — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 July 2026
Definition of plucky
Adjective
  • Head inside, and you’ll be greeted by warm, rich hues, earthy greens, and materials drawn from Kenyan influences—complete with pieces sourced from local artisans, such as Kitengela Glass, Safari Bronze, and more.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 8 July 2026
  • And Owen — the New Zealand actress who first gained attention as the victim of domestic violence in Lee Tamahori’s grueling Once Were Warriors — brings warmth and earthy wisdom to Tala, who provides a living link to the ancestors.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Definition of earthy
Adjective
  • Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, known for her expressive vocals, died at age 27 from alcohol poisoning.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • His long white oval scleras and perfect-circle black pupils, sometimes open and sometimes closed, are always inexplicably expressive—managing to seem happy, sad, scared, sleepy, shifty, angry, eager, alarmed, mischievous, or murderous.
    — Casey Cep, New Yorker, 7 July 2026
Definition of expressive
Adjective
  • His desire to run in behind and carry the ball at speed was most impressive against Panama, something that England can use to test more resolute defensive sides, as well as those who will leave spaces in behind to attack.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • England’s fierce attacks in the second half were thwarted by a resolute American defense and a series of saves by goalkeeper Frank Borghi.
    — Tushaar Kuthiala, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 June 2026
Definition of resolute
Adjective
  • This Mediterranean herb likes the heat but not the humidity, so make certain to plant it in full sun in sandy or gravelly soil.
    — Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 25 June 2026
  • His voice, including its gravelly quality and thick Cockney accent, was replicated with his permission through a deal with ElevenLabs, which licenses AI versions of artists’ voices.
    — Angela Yang, NBC news, 23 June 2026
Definition of gravelly

Browse Nearby Words

gritting
gritty
grizzle
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Gritty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gritty. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on gritty

Nglish: Translation of gritty for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All