Positive character trait
Plucky
Brave and determined when facing difficulty.
3 ready sentences Updated Run by Adrian Nutiu
What it looks like
- Takes on a challenge bigger than they are.
- Keeps trying after being knocked back.
- Speaks up to someone with more power.
Fits when someone small or outmatched shows spirit and courage
Not when the person is an adult in a serious setting, where plucky can sound patronizing
How to say it
Replace the brackets with what the person actually did.
On a resume, plucky sounds informal and a little patronizing; describe the challenge taken on and its result instead.
Fills [Name] in the reference and the report card comment, ready to copy.
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Reference or recommendation [Name] is plucky: as the newest member of the team, they [took on a hard task or challenged a senior decision] and did it well.
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Report card comment [Name] is plucky and has a go at every challenge, even the hard ones.
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In a story, shown not told The ten-year-old asked to speak at the council meeting. She stood on a chair to reach the microphone and asked why the playground was still closed.
The plucky ten-year-old asked the mayor why the playground was still closed.
The definition and the sentences are written for this site; dictionaries are used to check the sense. How words are chosen and reviewed.