courageous

1 of 2

adjective

cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs How to pronounce courageous (audio)
Synonyms of courageous
: having or characterized by courage : brave
a courageous soldier
a courageous decision
courageously adverb
courageousness noun

courageousness

2 of 2

noun

cou·​ra·​geous·​ness
kə-ˈrā-jəs-nəs
plural -es
: the quality or state of being courageous

Synonyms of courageous

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Adjective

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Examples of courageous in a Sentence

Adjective She was a courageous woman who wasn't afraid to support unpopular causes. the courageous decision to quit rather than obey an illegal order
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Adjective
The defeat coming against someone playing such courageous tennis is why Wawrinka’s triumph still resonates. — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 As with any courageous statement, acceptance is rarely unanimous. — Regina Cho, VIBE.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Sadly, sports reformers across the country have abandoned the hard work of courageous whistleblowers, such as Bensel-Meyers, and now sing the tune of college athlete compensation. — Bruce Svare, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2026 Being gay was still uncharted territory and their trust, at a time when visibility was dangerous, was courageous. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for courageous

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English corageous, borrowed from Anglo-French corajus, from corage courage + -us, -ous -ous

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of courageous was in the 14th century

Rhymes for courageous

See All Rhymes for courageous

Browse Nearby Words

courage
courageous
courageously
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Cite this Entry

“Courageous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courageous. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

courageous

adjective
cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs How to pronounce courageous (audio)
: having or marked by courage : brave
courageously adverb
courageousness noun
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