ballsy
18
8.2
- adjective
- /ˈbɔːlzi/
- Offensive
:
atrevido
- That was a pretty ballsy move.
- pretty ballsy
- ballsy move
- ballsy enough
And that's like a big ballsy bet because it's just it's it's not.
- And that's like a big ballsy bet because it's just it's it's not.
- But that was she's a ballsy little lady.
- So I was doing quite ballsy things, you know, courageous things.
- So it's I don't know, that might be the ballsiest or craziest thing that I've ever seen.
- Gabby was just, I feel like she was more ballsy than me.
- So she's very ballsy, she's very stubborn, she's very controlling.
- It's like the craziest, the riskiest, the most, the most ballsy.
- I I admire it because it was, it was ballsy.
- And I thought, damn, like that was a ballsy movement.
- It was pretty ballsy to wear this new formula to such an important big day.
- Long time fan ever since your earliest days of filmmaking, always able to produce some good laughs and frankly, ballsy stunts that no one else would be willing to do.
Examples
-
Rihanna on dating, "I need a man who is ballsy."
Blog text (14) -
But let's see if some smart, ballsy journalist puts the request out for all the flight details.
Blog text (9) -
You are a very ballsy man, an incredibly ballsy man.
-
Now we need a ballsy young man for the lover.
-
Well, that's a ballsy move, my friend.
-
It was pretty ballsy to wear this new formula to such an important big day.
-
Taking off a U.S. senator, that's pretty ballsy.
Fiction book (1991) -
And there were some really fantastic women that worked undercover and I worked alongside ballsy, courageous, inventive, smart women.
-
By combining amazing action and tension with big, philosophical ideas, 'Deus Ex' is smart, ballsy, and will make one hell of a movie.
Blog text (16) -
It was a ballsy decision to invest in a startup during such uncertain times.
Synonyms
257
2.7
Willing to take risks and act confidently
65
3.6
Willing to try new and sometimes risky things
37
7.3
Showing no shame or respect for rules
33
4.8
Being rude in a playful way that shows little respect
30
6.3
Brave and willing to take risks in hard situations
26
7.6
To take bold risks and do daring things
15
9.0
Bold and impressive in a way that attracts attention
3
3.4
Willing to take risks to try new things
1
9.9
Very bold and energetic without caring about risk
1
7.5
Showing courage in dangerous or risky situations
Very bold in a way that ignores danger
Being too brave in a way that is foolish and dangerous
Showing no shame and acting very boldly
Antonyms
Compounds
How Bold
Surface Forms
Morphology
ballsy = balls (semi-transparent) = balls + y
Formed from slang 'balls' (meaning courage) + adjectival '-y'; the slang register limits predictability for average learners.
Etymology
The word ballsy comes from balls, a rude word for the male 'private parts' that people used to mean 'courage' or 'nerve'. So to call someone ballsy is an informal, slightly rude way to say they are very bold or daring.