The tensile behaviours of [111]-oriented SiC nanowires with various microstructures are investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations. The results revealed the influence of microstructures on the brittleness and plasticity of SiC nanowires. Plastic deformation is mainly induced by the anti-parallel sliding of 3C grains along an intergranular amorphous film parallel to the (11 $$(1) over bar) plane and inclined at an angle of 19.47 degrees with respect to the nanowire axis. Our study suggests that the wide dispersion of mechanical properties of SiC nanowires observed in experiments might be attributed to their diverse microstructures.