plucky

1 of 2

adjective

ˈplə-kē How to pronounce plucky (audio)
pluckier; pluckiest
Synonyms of pluckynext
: spirited, brave
pluckily
ˈplə-kə-lē How to pronounce plucky (audio)
adverb
pluckiness
ˈplə-kē-nəs How to pronounce plucky (audio)
noun

pluckiness

2 of 2

noun

pluck·​i·​ness -kēnə̇s How to pronounce pluckiness (audio)
-kin-
plural -es
: the quality or state of being plucky

Examples of plucky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Harbach spent a decade writing it; it was turned down by umpteen literary gatekeepers; eventually, one plucky young agent took a chance on it, and a bidding war ensued. — Malcolm Forbes, Christian Science Monitor, 26 Oct. 2026 Instead, Ortega’s Klara conveys the broad, plucky winsomeness of a YA heroine. — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026 Antonio Raimondo scored a hat trick for Frosinone in a 4-2 win over Sassuolo in Serie A on Friday, and Toulouse netted three times in the second half to overcome a plucky Le Mans 3-0 in the French league. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 The plucky Chicago White Sox are the only lower-seeded team to win a Wild Card Series, and their reward is a trip to Cleveland to take on their division rivals, the Guardians. — The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for plucky

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of plucky was in 1840

Rhymes for plucky

See All Rhymes for plucky

Browse Nearby Words

pluck up (the) courage
plucky
pluff
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plucky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plucky. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

plucky

adjective
ˈplək-ē How to pronounce plucky (audio)
pluckier; pluckiest
: courageous, brave

More from Merriam-Webster on plucky

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for plucky

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