Grit: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe someone's firmness of character and unwavering determination, especially in challenging situations. Often associated with perseverance and long-term goals.

• Her grit and determination led her to finish the marathon despite the injury.
• The soldier's grit was evident as he faced the adversities of battle without flinching.

Denotes the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation. It is a more general and broad term that can apply to both physical and moral challenges.

• It took a lot of courage for her to speak out against the injustice she witnessed.
• Facing the diagnosis with courage, he decided to make the most of the time he had left.

Refers to the quality of being ready to face and endure danger or pain without showing fear. It is often associated with moments requiring quick, bold action.

• The firefighter's bravery was recognized when he ran into the burning building to save trapped residents.
• His bravery during the crisis earned him a commendation from the community.

Refers to the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Often used to describe someone's ability to bounce back from setbacks or adapt to change.

• Her resilience was astonishing, as she managed to rebuild her life after the natural disaster.
• The company's resilience during the economic downturn helped it stay afloat.

This term is often used to refer to small, hard granules of stone or sand. It can also mean courage and determination in difficult situations.

• The beach was covered in grit and shells.
• She showed a lot of grit to finish the marathon despite the injury.

Used to describe a collection of small stones, typically used for paths or driveways.

• The park had a gravel path that wound through the trees.
• He spread gravel on the driveway to make it less muddy.

Describes very fine, granular particles typically found on beaches and deserts.

• The children built castles with the sand from the beach.
• Sand from the desert blew into the village during the storm.

Refers to extremely small pieces or bits of a substance, often used in scientific or technical contexts.

• The air was filled with particles of dust.
• In physics class, we learned about the behavior of particles at the atomic level.

This word is often used to describe tiny, coarse particles like sand or grit as a quality representing courage and determination.

• There was grit in my shoe after walking on the beach.
• She showed true grit by completing the marathon despite the pain.

This term generally means to break something into small pieces through crushing, typically with a mechanical tool.

• They had to grind the coffee beans for a fresh brew.
• He worked hard to grind out a living.

This word is used when you rub something roughly, often creating unpleasant sounds, or when you barely achieve something.

• I had to scrape the ice off my car this morning.
• He managed to scrape through the test.

This word can refer to shredding something into small pieces, usually food, or to something that irritates or annoys.

• I need to grate some cheese for the pizza.
• His constant humming began to grate on my nerves.