courageous

adjective

cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs 

: having or characterized by courage : brave

a courageous soldier

a courageous decision

courageously adverb

courageousness noun

Synonyms

• bold
• brave
• dauntless
• doughty
• fearless
• gallant
• greathearted
• gutsy
• gutty
• heroic
• heroical
• intrepid
• lionhearted
• manful
• stalwart
• stout
• stouthearted
• undauntable
• undaunted
• valiant
• valorous

Examples of courageous in a Sentence

She was a courageous woman who wasn't afraid to support unpopular causes.

the courageous decision to quit rather than obey an illegal order

Recent Examples on the Web

The series follows her courageous lead, becoming an antidote to the doom-and-gloom dramas that dominate our culture (not to mention a ray of light in a world that can seem irrepressibly dark). —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 27 Oct. 2024

Black Box Diaries The Bottom Line A sobering doc about a courageous act. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2024

Kate Winslet stars as the complex and courageous Miller; Andy Samberg plays the role of sincere and supportive Life magazine photographer David E. Scherman, who travels with Miller to document a devastated Europe. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 9 Oct. 2024

Obtaining feedback from employees through various mechanisms such as surveys, focus groups and facilitating courageous conversations is the catalyst to culture transformation. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

courageous

adjective

cou·​ra·​geous kə-ˈrā-jəs 

: having or marked by courage : brave

courageously adverb

courageousness noun