Meaning & use

guts

noun·Everyday

Courage and determination to do something difficult or unpleasant, especially in the face of fear or danger.

See it in a sentence

It took real guts to admit her mistake in front of the entire team.

He didn't have the guts to ask for a raise, so he stayed silent.

A note on using this word

In this sense 'guts' is informal and always plural; the singular 'gut' usually refers to the stomach or intestines instead.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

cowardice

Another way to use it

2. noun

The internal organs of the body, especially the stomach and intestines.

The fish was cleaned and its guts removed before cooking.

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