Cool MateCourage vs Guts
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Courage
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
Guts
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Courage
| Courage | Guts | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkʌrɪdʒ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkɜːrɪdʒ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ɡʌts//🇺🇸 //ɡʌts// |
| Meaning | Being brave and willing to face fear or difficulty. | The parts inside your body that help you digest food. |
| Example | It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in. | She had to have guts to climb that mountain. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | considerable, extraordinary, great, require, take, have, courage under fire, have the courage of your convictions | have guts, show guts, guts and determination |
| Antonyms | cowardice, fearfulness | cowardice, fear |
| Common mistakes | 'Courage' is sometimes confused with 'curiosity.', 'Courageous' is often mistakenly used as a noun instead of the correct noun 'courage.' | Confused with 'gutsy' which means brave., Mistaken for 'gut' as singular without understanding the plural form., Using 'guts' in overly formal contexts. |
| Usage notes | Used in both formal and informal contexts. Commonly used to describe someone's ability to confront challenges. Avoid using in contexts that require a more specific term, like 'bravery' or 'fearlessness.' | Used in neutral contexts referring to the digestive system; informal when describing bravery or determination. Avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Courage vs Guts
What's the difference between Courage and Guts?
Courage: Being brave and willing to face fear or difficulty. Guts: The parts inside your body that help you digest food.
Which is more common: Courage and Guts?
Courage is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Courage: It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in. Guts: She had to have guts to climb that mountain.
Can I use Courage and Guts interchangeably?
Not always. Courage and Guts are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.