1
as in inside(s)
the internal organs of the body
the student dissected the frog and looked at its guts with a mixture of fascination and disgust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in courage
strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger
it took a lot of guts to rush into that burning building and save her cat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in grit
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship
had the guts to keep running the race even though she felt like quitting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in cleans
to take the internal organs out of
you'll need to gut the fish and wash it out before you can cook it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 guts
James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026
Winnipeg focuses on protecting the guts of the ice.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 17 June 2026
In my opinion, this takes a lot of guts and should not only be admired, but celebrated.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
According to Harvard Health, travel disrupts the body’s natural rhythms — time changes, altered eating schedules, poor sleep — which upsets digestion, especially in people with already-sensitive guts.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Just me, Harrison Ford, and Michael Urie singing our guts out.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 June 2026
The only question is who has the guts to do it.
—Keith Naughton, Washington Post, 11 June 2026
Not everyone is attracted to blood and guts.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
No president had the guts to do it.
—NBC news, 7 June 2026
Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
The only realistic threat to Clyburn’s winning reelection would be if the conservative Supreme Court guts the Voting Rights Act and South Carolina Republicans redraw the state’s congressional districts before the fall elections.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
And if the Supreme Court makes an early enough ruling that guts the Voting Rights Act, that could allow a slew of Southern states to redraw their maps before 2026 as well.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 3 Dec. 2025
The government’s lawyers argued the ruling effectively guts a statute aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing unlawful drug users from wielding firearms.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Her death guts Maggie, but also brings her and Jackson, her mother’s surgeon, closer.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Then the company guts what's left in the middle.
—ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2025
Seagulls circle low as Kyan Walker bones and guts the daily catch, which currently includes black cod and halibut.
—John King, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Sep. 2023
Noun
Imagine having the guts to wear separates to your prom!
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026
Winnipeg focuses on protecting the guts of the ice.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 17 June 2026
In my opinion, this takes a lot of guts and should not only be admired, but celebrated.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
According to Harvard Health, travel disrupts the body’s natural rhythms — time changes, altered eating schedules, poor sleep — which upsets digestion, especially in people with already-sensitive guts.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Just me, Harrison Ford, and Michael Urie singing our guts out.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 June 2026
The only question is who has the guts to do it.
—Keith Naughton, Washington Post, 11 June 2026
Not everyone is attracted to blood and guts.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
No president had the guts to do it.
—NBC news, 7 June 2026
Verb
What most of us know is a relationship that goes sour, and the one that guts you the most is a love that goes wrong.
—Stuart Miller, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
The only realistic threat to Clyburn’s winning reelection would be if the conservative Supreme Court guts the Voting Rights Act and South Carolina Republicans redraw the state’s congressional districts before the fall elections.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
And if the Supreme Court makes an early enough ruling that guts the Voting Rights Act, that could allow a slew of Southern states to redraw their maps before 2026 as well.
—Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 3 Dec. 2025
The government’s lawyers argued the ruling effectively guts a statute aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing unlawful drug users from wielding firearms.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Her death guts Maggie, but also brings her and Jackson, her mother’s surgeon, closer.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
Then the company guts what's left in the middle.
—ArsTechnica, 29 Sep. 2025
Seagulls circle low as Kyan Walker bones and guts the daily catch, which currently includes black cod and halibut.
—John King, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Sep. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guts
Noun
-
Shine kindly, and let your courage invite fresh adventures now.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
-
California — and America — now desperately need the courage for another moral intervention.—
Tom Debley,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Rinsing them thoroughly helps keep these unfortunate extras off your plate, and also improves the flavor and texture of the peaches by removing any unwanted grit.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
-
The Knicks’ grit in the Finals was not a fluke.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Select from three smart cleaning modes — floor mode (floor only), standard mode (floor, walls and waterline) and eco mode (automatically cleans pool floor every 48 hours) — to target specific problem zones on a preset schedule.—
V BRAND STORIES,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Scheck cleans her marble counters almost daily with a gentle cleaner to prevent buildup.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Just, literally, 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery.—
Deb Mazzocco,
Twin Cities,
14 June 2026
-
Kate Middleton's surprise appearance at Trooping the Colour in 2024 was celebrated for several reasons, chief among them her bravery in the face of her battle with an undisclosed form of cancer.—
Christopher Luu,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
The Spurs responded with their best game of the series, a 115-111 win that required lots of mental fortitude and, in the end, sent Knicks fans home quiet.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
-
Tate projected a credo of masculine excellence that revolved around self-discipline, physical prowess, and mental fortitude.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The tournament — which draws fighters from 30 national outposts — is the longest-running and largest non-national amateur boxing event in America.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
-
There has been no reporting that Sinner and other tennis stars would boycott the singles draws at the Open, where the winners will take home $5 million each.—
Adam Zagoria,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
But there were limits to what the British believed heroism would look like in the face of the enemy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
The best customer experience in a staffing shortage is not created by employee heroism but by a radically simplified service system.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Hsu’s voice performance also gives Kristen spunk in these scenes, while Sharpe brings an unexpected vulnerability to AJ.—
Marya E. Gates,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
-
She was known among her neighbors for her generosity and spunk — and among her relatives for stubborn refusal to leave Bellevue Square, her home of 54 years, The Courant reported in 1997.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guts. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
