Someone plucky shows courage and determination even when facing difficulties or dangers. A plucky explorer keeps pushing forward through a dangerous jungle, and a plucky soccer player doesn't give up after falling behind by three goals.

When you call someone plucky, you're recognizing that they have guts: they tackle challenges head-on instead of backing down.

What makes pluckiness special is its scrappy, underdog quality. A plucky person often faces long odds or bigger opponents but refuses to be intimidated. The smallest kid on the basketball team who fearlessly guards the tallest player shows pluck. A student who struggles with reading but keeps working at it every single day is plucky.

Plucky people aren't necessarily the strongest, fastest, or smartest, but they compensate with determination and spirit. They might be nervous or scared, but they do the hard thing anyway. That combination of bravery and persistence, especially when you're the underdog, is what pluckiness is all about.