Meaning & use
act of courage
Last updated
Meaning
phrasecountable
a single action that shows bravery, especially when facing danger or difficulty.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'an act of courage' or 'acts of courage'.
Patterns
- an act of courage
- perform an act of courage
- it was an act of courage to do something
Running into the burning building to save the child was an act of courage.
Speaking up against the bullying was an act of courage that inspired others.
The soldier received a medal for his act of courage under fire.
Word forms
| plural | acts of courage |
|---|
Common combinations
- a real act of courage
- Admitting his mistake was a real act of courage.
- an act of great courage
- Rescuing the swimmers was an act of great courage.
- perform an act of courage
- The firefighter performed an act of courage by entering the collapsing house.
- an act of courage and kindness
- Helping the lost child was an act of courage and kindness.
Synonyms and how they differ
- brave deed
- A more literary or formal way to say the same thing; 'act of courage' is more common in everyday speech.
- heroic act
- Emphasizes heroism and often implies greater risk or nobility than a simple act of courage.
Opposites
Word family
- courageous adjective
- Showing courage; brave.
- courageously adverb
- In a brave manner.
Commonly confused: act of courage or act of bravery?
act of courage vs act of bravery
Very similar, but 'bravery' focuses on the quality, while 'courage' often implies overcoming fear.
Practice
Helping the injured man was an act of ___.
Choose one answer.
The phrase requires a noun after 'of', and 'courage' is the noun. 'Courageous' is an adjective, 'courageously' an adverb, and 'encourage' a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “act of courage”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.