mettlesome
- adjective
- /ˈmɛtəlˌsʌm/
- Right away, Kelly reported, she had a following, a mettlesome band of students who lingered in her classroom after school, vying for her attention.
Examples
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"She looks set to be quite a mettlesome miss."
Fiction book (1993) -
I was touched by the humor of my grandmother and uncles, and I was mettlesome when the warden observed my responses.
Fiction book (1990) -
The mettlesome soldier charged bravely into battle, ready to face any danger.
-
Her mettlesome spirit inspired the entire team to push through the difficult challenges.
-
Despite the icy weather, the mettlesome hiker continued to climb the steep mountain trail.
Synonyms
Has courage when facing danger, pain or fear
Brave and determined when things are difficult or dangerous
Able to live and grow in cold or bad weather
Brave and full of energy and determination
Strong and able to keep working in hard conditions
Brave and determined when facing danger or hard times
Showing courage, strength, or strong determination
Being brave and determined, not giving up easily
Brave and determined when facing danger or difficulty
Brave and willing to face danger
Willing to try something new or risky
Very calm and brave in dangerous or difficult situations
Being very brave and ready to fight
Ready to fight or argue
Antonyms
How Courageous
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Mettlesome comes from mettle, which was once the same word as metal and meant a 'hard substance' and then 'spirit'. So to be mettlesome is like being strong like metal — full of 'spirit' and 'courage'.