acumen

acu·men

noun \ə-ˈkyü-mən, ˈa-kyə-mən\

Definition of ACUMEN

: keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination especially in practical matters

Examples of ACUMEN

1. Her political acumen won her the election.
2. a lack of business acumen
3. And perhaps this is just part of Washington's transition into the new economy: the triumph of national brands over local loyalty, of business acumen over upper Northwest idealism. —Franklin Foer, New Republic, 7 Feb. 2000
4. … the historical acumen, the steady shrewdness, and the uncommon common sense with which the old maestro watches the American procession of similar problems faced by dissimilar egos. —Alistair Cooke, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 1987
5. Here was a man of extraordinary sensitivity, political acumen, spiritual power, and sexual wildness; a free spirit if ever there was one. —Alice Walker, Living by the Word, 1986

Origin of ACUMEN

Latin acumin-, acumen, literally, point, from acuere

First Known Use: circa 1579

Related to ACUMEN

Synonyms: astuteness, caginess (also cageyness), canniness, clear-sightedness, foxiness, hardheadedness, intelligence, keenness, knowingness, sharpness, shrewdness, wit

Related Words: discernment, insight, perception, perceptiveness, perceptivity, percipience, sagaciousness, sagacity, sageness, sapience, wisdom; artfulness, artifice, craft, craftiness, cunning, deviousness, guile, slickness, slyness, sneakiness, subtleness, subtlety, wiliness; brain(s), gray matter, intellect, reason, sense

Near Antonyms: artlessness, greenness, guilelessness, ingenuousness, innocence, naiveness, naïveté (also naivete or naiveté), simplemindedness, simpleness, simplicity, unsophistication, unworldliness; brainlessness, density, doltishness, dopiness, dumbness, fatuity, foolishness, half-wittedness, mindlessness, oafishness, obtuseness, senselessness, slowness, stupidity, stupidness, vacuity, witlessness

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See Synonym Discussion at discernment

Rhymes with ACUMEN

albumen, albumin, bitumen, cerumen, ichneumon, illumine, inhuman, panhuman, prehuman, subhuman