Ballsy
adj.resilient, energeticplayful
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.
Choose between these
5- everyday
courage is shown in a difficult practical choice
not when Gutsy is still informal and may be too casual for ceremonial praise.
- warm
willingness to risk failure creates admiration
not when Daring can romanticize a choice whose consequences require sober wording.
- professional
confidence and willingness to depart from precedent matter
not when Bold is less raw and may understate deliberate provocation.
- formal
the move challenges convention on a striking scale
not when Audacious can imply arrogance when the risk was careful and responsible.
- literary
fearless action in a demanding setting deserves elevated praise
not when Intrepid sounds theatrical for a business proposal or design choice.
Said against
3- timid
- cautious
- risk-averse
It naturally appears in
3- ballsy move
Rejecting the rushed launch date was a ballsy move that protected patients.
- ballsy proposal
Her ballsy proposal paired free admission with a new donor model.
- ballsy decision
It was a ballsy decision to publish the unfavorable results first.
Usage notes
Ballsy is informal and gendered in origin. Even when intended positively, it can sound crude or exclusionary.