gusto

noun

gus·​to ˈgə-(ˌ)stō How to pronounce gusto (audio)
plural gustoes
Synonyms of gusto
1
a
: enthusiastic and vigorous enjoyment or appreciation
described the adventure with great gusto
b
: vitality marked by an abundance of vigor and enthusiasm
could not match the gusto of their competitors
c
: an individual or special taste
different gustoes
2
archaic : artistic style

Synonyms of gusto

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of gusto in a Sentence

I don't have the gusto to go on a strenuous hike right now.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In truth, a night that started with so much gusto fell a bit flat from City’s perspective. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 In the nineteen-thirties—a decade of political assassinations, failed military coups, brutal invasions of China, and a hard-right reaction against the relative liberalism of the nineteen-twenties—the yakuza embraced the Zeitgeist with gusto. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Those preferences endured as the pandemic receded, and hospitality responded with gusto. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 Hilton bit into of one of his three al pastor tacos with gusto. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gusto

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Latin gustus, past participle

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1c

Time Traveler
The first known use of gusto was in 1620

Rhymes for gusto

See All Rhymes for gusto

Browse Nearby Words

gustiness
gusto
gustoso
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gusto.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gusto. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

gusto

noun
gus·​to ˈgəs-tō How to pronounce gusto (audio)
: keen enjoyment or appreciation
eat with gusto
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All