gutsy
/ˈɡʌtsi
/adjective (gutsier, gutsiest) informal
1Having or showing courage, determination, and spirit: her gutsy 80-year-old grandmother...
- To Jack, it was the great thing about the American spirit: That it was born of gutsy determination and, as with any good superhero, compassion for all.
- As was the case with Carlow's performers last weekend, gutsy determination was in plentiful supply with participants giving their all in all competitions.
- Rob's strengths lay in absorbing the pressure and criticism, and in doing this well he more than proved himself courageous, gutsy and tough.
Synonyms
courageous, brave, mettlesome, plucky, bold, valiant, valorous, intrepid, heroic, lionhearted, daring, fearless, daredevil, adventurous, audacious, undaunted, unflinching, unshrinking, unafraid, dauntless, indomitable, doughty, venturesome, stout-hearted, spirited;
determined, resolute, forceful, death-or-glory;
North American rock-ribbed
informal spunky, game, ballsy, have-a-go
rare venturous
1.1(Of food or drink) strongly flavoured: a smooth Bordeaux that is gutsy enough to accompany steak...
- Notes of blackcurrant leaves, vanilla and spice sit on top of a spiky acidity that, while it could break up rich sauces and complement gutsy food, on its own is hard to tolerate on the finish.
- Very smooth and drinkable on its own, but its rich damson and blackcurrant flavours make it ideal with gutsy food.
- It is medium bodied but with gutsy cherry and redcurrant flavours.
2Greedy.
Derivatives
gutsily
- That promotion prize so cherished, and so gutsily won by City, was then followed by the longest uninterrupted stint as an established Second Division club, then more fatefully by demotion to the basement.
- But it was the way she won her races, gutsily from the front, as well as that ungainly action, which captured the hearts of the racing public.
- Dee is a strong character, put upon by events way outside her control, but always gutsily fighting back.
gutsiness
- Often considered a golden era for horror films, the '70s saw innovation, politically charged subtext, and a (usually literal) gutsiness mixed to push boundaries and buttons.
- Maybe on some level I admired his gutsiness at doing all the ‘forbidden’ things at that age like smoking, drinking, picking fights, following a girl home, etc.
- Her gutsiness, her set of principles - she learned all of that from Linda.