stouthearted
Brave and determined, especially when things are scary or hard.
Stouthearted means brave and determined, especially when facing danger or difficulty. A stouthearted person doesn't back down when things get scary or hard. They push forward even when their knees feel shaky.
Your heart, in this sense, means your courage and spirit. So a stouthearted person has a strong, brave heart that keeps them going when others might quit or run away.
Think of a stouthearted explorer who keeps hiking through a storm to reach camp safely, or a stouthearted student who stands up for a classmate being teased, even though speaking up feels frightening. Firefighters rushing into burning buildings are stouthearted. So are people who try something difficult again after failing the first time.
The word has an old-fashioned, almost heroic ring to it. You might find it in adventure stories or historical accounts. While we don't use stouthearted in everyday conversation much anymore, it perfectly captures that combination of courage and determination that makes someone keep fighting for what matters, no matter how tough things get.