gutsier; gutsiest
1
: marked by courage, pluck, or determination
a gutsy little fighter
a gutsy decision
2
a
: expressing or characterized by basic physical senses or passions
gutsy macho talk
gutsy country blues
b
: rough or plain in style : not bland or sophisticated
a gutsy soup
gutsily adverb
gutsiness noun

Examples of gutsy in a Sentence

That was a very gutsy decision. a gutsy coach willing to let her team improvise on the court
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.
Working out arrangements in public was a gutsy move, but these are musicians used to dancing on a high wire. Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025 As the Grammy Awards were underway just across town last night at Crypto.com Arena, Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler gathered a collection of gutsy rock hitmakers for his 6th annual Jam for Janie event and live auction at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium. Katherine Turman, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025 Todd Golden’s Gators had a wholly different energy down the stretch, headlined by Clayton’s gutsy heat checks. Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025 Suddenly, after such a gutsy fight, any hope of USC’s season surviving had slipped away in a 76-71 loss to Purdue. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gutsy

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1893, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gutsy was circa 1893

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gutsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gutsy. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

gutsy

adjective
gutsier; gutsiest
: aggressively tough : courageous
a gutsy decision
a gutsy hockey player
gutsiness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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