guts
guhts
Guts (noun) means Courage and determination, especially to do something difficult or risky. Example: “It took real guts to stand up and disagree with the whole board.”
noun
1
Courage and determination, especially to do something difficult or risky.
"It took real guts to stand up and disagree with the whole board."
"She had the guts to quit her job and start her own business."
"You need a lot of guts to speak in front of a huge crowd."
2
The internal organs of the abdomen, or the inner workings of something.
"The mechanic opened up the engine and showed us its guts."
"The vet explained that the cat's guts were not damaged by the fall."
"Before we threw the old radio away, we took it apart to look at its guts."
verb
1
To show strong determination, especially in the phrase "guts it out."
"She gutted it out and finished the marathon despite the injury."
"If he guts it out for one more week, the hard training will finally pay off."
"We were tired and cold, but we gutted it out until the final whistle."
How to use guts
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBravery and nerve — or, informally, the inner parts/mechanism of something.
Common pairings
have the guts
guts out
spill your guts
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- gutses
- Past tense
- gutsed
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It took real _____ to stand up and disagree with the whole board.
Related words
Rhymes for guts
See all rhymes for guts →Frequently asked questions
What does “guts” mean?
The word “guts” means courage and determination, especially to do something difficult or risky. In plain terms, bravery and nerve — or, informally, the inner parts/mechanism of something.
How do you pronounce “guts”?
“Guts” is pronounced guhts (/ɡʌts/ in IPA).
How do you use “guts” in a sentence?
Here is “guts” used in a sentence: “It took real guts to stand up and disagree with the whole board.”
What part of speech is “guts”?
Depending on how it is used, “guts” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “guts” a common word?
“Guts” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “guts” have?
“Guts” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: courage and determination, especially to do something difficult or risky.
What is the difference between guts and courage?
Guts is an informal word for courage and determination, especially to do something difficult or risky, such as "it took guts to speak up." Courage is the more formal, neutral term, so guts is typically used in casual speech rather than formal writing.
Is guts used only to mean courage, or does it have other meanings?
Guts can also refer literally to the internal organs of the abdomen, or figuratively to the inner workings of something, such as "the guts of the machine." The courage sense is the most common figurative use, especially in informal speech.
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