Ballsy
What it means
Bold enough to accept conspicuous risk or challenge convention.
Reach for it when praising a daring choice in candid informal conversation
The ballsy redesign turned an ignored courtyard into the school's busiest space.
Words to choose between 5
| playful |
|
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when courage is shown in a difficult practical choice
Careful Gutsy is still informal and may be too casual for ceremonial praise.
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warm
Fits when willingness to risk failure creates admiration
Careful Daring can romanticize a choice whose consequences require sober wording.
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professional
Fits when confidence and willingness to depart from precedent matter
Careful Bold is less raw and may understate deliberate provocation.
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formal
Fits when the move challenges convention on a striking scale
Careful Audacious can imply arrogance when the risk was careful and responsible.
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literary
Fits when fearless action in a demanding setting deserves elevated praise
Careful Intrepid sounds theatrical for a business proposal or design choice.
Opposites 3
- timid
- cautious
- risk-averse
Common phrases 3
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ballsy move
Rejecting the rushed launch date was a ballsy move that protected patients.
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ballsy proposal
Her ballsy proposal paired free admission with a new donor model.
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ballsy decision
It was a ballsy decision to publish the unfavorable results first.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Ballsy is informal and gendered in origin. Even when intended positively, it can sound crude or exclusionary.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Commander Keane, Australian accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated