Doughty
adj.resilient, capableliterary
What it means
Brave and stubbornly capable in the face of difficulty.
Reach for it when giving old-fashioned, affectionate praise to an unlikely but persistent fighter
A doughty band of residents kept the hillside railway operating through winter.
Choose between these
6- playful
when willingness to attempt a challenge is enough
not when Being game shows willingness, not proven endurance.
- playful
when an underdog's cheerful courage is central
not when Plucky can sound patronizing toward serious sacrifice.
- professional
when persistence toward a goal matters more than danger
not when Tenacity can be unwelcome or morally neutral, while doughty is approvingly brave.
- formal
when hazardous action or exploration is explicit
not when Intrepid loses the affectionate sense of a sturdy underdog.
- literary
stouthearted
when firm courage suits traditional storytelling
not when The rare compound may distract outside a historical voice.
- literary
when noble courage deserves ceremonial praise
not when Valiant is grander and lacks doughty's sturdy, slightly old-fashioned character.
Said against
3- cowardly
- fainthearted
- irresolute
It naturally appears in
3- doughty fighter
The doughty fighter returned to defend the community title at fifty.
- doughty band
A doughty band of volunteers cleared the flooded footpath.
- doughty campaigner
The doughty campaigner answered every rejection with better evidence.