pluck up (the) courage
idiom
: to become brave enough (to do something)
He finally plucked up the courage to ask her out on a date.
Examples of pluck up (the) courage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In theory, only six Republicans would need to pluck up the courage to band together and sign a discharge petition with all 212 Democrats.
—
John Parkinson, ABC News, 21 July 2025
Would Rachel finally pluck up the courage to leave Jake once and for all?
—Liam Hes, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
John Parkinson, ABC News, 21 July 2025
Would Rachel finally pluck up the courage to leave Jake once and for all?
—Liam Hes, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Pluck up (the) courage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pluck%20up%20%28the%29%20courage. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share