as in brave
informal
having or showing a lot of courage or determination
A plucky young man who never gave up on his dream.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 plucky
But the club battled at the highest-elevation point in Major League Soccer, continuing to solidify a reputation as a plucky bunch.
—
Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
For a team that’s been knocking on the door as a plucky underdog over the past few years, acquiring Rantanen has given this team a game breaker at a totally different level than what previously existed in Texas.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Once the hottest team in the league, the plucky Canadiens have now lost four straight, which is going to make their path to the postseason far more tricky.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
There are plucky steamed chive dumplings with translucent skin, meatball-like shumai teeming with pork, chicken or shrimp, green tea sesame balls (each $1.50 apiece) with Wicked-green dough surrounding sweet black paste.
—Benjy Egel, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plucky
Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025
For a team that’s been knocking on the door as a plucky underdog over the past few years, acquiring Rantanen has given this team a game breaker at a totally different level than what previously existed in Texas.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
Once the hottest team in the league, the plucky Canadiens have now lost four straight, which is going to make their path to the postseason far more tricky.
—James Mirtle, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
There are plucky steamed chive dumplings with translucent skin, meatball-like shumai teeming with pork, chicken or shrimp, green tea sesame balls (each $1.50 apiece) with Wicked-green dough surrounding sweet black paste.
—Benjy Egel, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for plucky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plucky
Adjective
-
The 19-year-old, who plays for the Kansas City Current, roamed about central midfield Tuesday night with Albert and distinguished herself with her brave defending and positioning, according to Hayes.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
-
In the podcast, one of the things that struck both of us so much was this amazing, brave, vulnerable choice that the real Molly made to allow Nikki into that room to record her.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Those are the types of questions courageous politicians should be embracing.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
-
With 72% of employees avoiding conflict, missed opportunities cost organizations dearly—but teams leveraging the simplest collaboration tools can more easily foster courageous communication and experience a 79% boost in transparency and effectiveness.—
Keith Ferrazzi,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Cybertruck is indeed a valiant effort in doing something new, and that’s not what most manufacturers dare to do.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Apr. 2025
-
In a valiant effort, Wanyonyi was able to hold off all three of these 1500-meter specialists.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s other out-of-character moments for our fearless leader.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Arya stars as fearless MI6 operative Zara Taylor, while Jallab plays former close protection officer Vincent Taleb, who will this time be on a mission to stop a deadly virus threatening to decimate Europe.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Nick, now focused on his role as the heir to his grandfather’s empire, and Noah, just beginning to build her own career, are determined to keep their distance, despite their undeniable attraction and the past that connects them.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
-
Is this morally corrupt crowd determined to ignore constitutional obligations rather than ever admit a mistake?—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
An elaborate ideology confers legitimacy upon the Kim family: according to the country’s founding myth, Kim Il Sung led a gallant band of guerilla fighters in the bitter winds of Manchuria to defeat the Japanese, liberate the Korean people, and establish the North Korean state.—
JENNIFER LIND,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Oct. 2010
-
In stereotypical movies, the gallant hero saves the damsel through daring, dramatic action.—
Amanda Nguyen,
TIME,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side In the big-screen adaptation of this true story, Sandra Bullock played Leigh Anne Tuohy, the resolute Southern mother who adopts teen Michael Oher.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Conscientiously addressing a national crisis of domestic abuse while also lunging for the heartstrings, the film is an uneven balance of grainy social realism and crowd-pleasing uplift, but Cruz’s resolute performance just about holds it together.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Miller suffered a traumatic brain injury during a mission gone wrong in 2006, and Mendoza aimed to help jog his memory by re-creating their heroic survival story.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Extra food rations are in order for his heroic contribution to family life.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Plucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plucky. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share