courageous

adjective

kə-ˈrā-jəs How to pronounce courageous (audio)
Definition of courageousnext
as in brave
feeling or displaying no fear by temperament the courageous decision to quit rather than obey an illegal order

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 courageous In Afghanistan, courageous teachers and students are finding ways to educate girls right under the Taliban’s nose. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026 Madison has made a smart choice for her biggest role since bagging an Oscar for Anora; her character’s trajectory from Facebook believer through disillusioned outlier to courageous whistleblower is stirringly rendered. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026 The far-from-basic residence showcases courageous expression. — Kelly Allen, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026 In the book, Lucy and Mina, the two main female characters caught up in the web of horror spun by the terrifying Transylvanian count Dracula, stand out as strong, intelligent and courageous. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for courageous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courageous
  1. brave
  2. fearless
  3. valiant
  4. heroic
  5. gallant
  6. bold
Adjective
  • One fascination of this brave book—brave in its disclosures but more so in its demands, its spiritual rigor, and its ardent intellectualism—lies in watching the eloquent, intelligent sufferer steadily entrapping herself.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Prioritizing oneself is something Ariana Grande has been brave about as well, with Grande perhaps the poster child for the biggest mental health story of the year.
    — Rob LeDonne, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of brave
Adjective
  • The actor praised Chris Rock’s writing as fearless, describing her character as contradictory, self-destructive and prone to terrible decisions.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Cinema needs women who are complicated, instinctive, ambitious, vulnerable, fearless and free – women who do not ask permission to take up space.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of fearless
Adjective
  • The Florida Panthers were able to mount a valiant comeback in San Jose, rallying from three goals down in the second period and scoring two in the third before ultimately falling in overtime.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Despite a valiant effort on the water, that milestone failed to normalize a more ever-present female presence at the Cup for almost three decades.
    — Stefano Pozzebon, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of valiant
Adjective
  • High on mushrooms and his own unmoored ego, Lee’s not-quite-acceptance speech casts our protagonist as far from the heroic spotlight as anyone literally standing in one can get.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In the absence of advertising, mosaics communicated and reinforced Soviet values like space exploration and heroic factory work.
    — Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of heroic
Adjective
  • Susanna Moore is terribly important to us, more so than any of Hemingway’s gallant girls.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
  • First to one knee and then all the way up like a gallant fighter gathering himself.
    — Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of gallant
Adjective
  • Finished in the label’s tiger yellow with bold black striping, the bike gave the collaboration a tangible centerpiece beyond the clothes.
    — Footwear News, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Pumpkin flowers, ghosts in cat-eye sunglasses, and bold checker-print accent nails all scream fun.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of bold

Browse Nearby Words

courage
courageous
courageously
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Cite this Entry

“Courageous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courageous. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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