as in sense
the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems
she's got the gray matter to figure that equation out
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gray matter
Men were affected more than women, particularly in the gray matter.
—
New Atlas, 29 July 2025
While gray matter naturally decreases with age, research indicates that adults who engage in excessive screen time have significantly lower gray matter volume compared to their peers.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Brain scans of people who spend time in nature show that their prefrontal cortex has more gray matter and a stronger ability to think clearly and self-regulate.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
The density of signals gives information about the molecular makeup of bodily tissues—distinguishing bone from blood, white matter from gray matter, tumors from healthy tissue.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 Sep. 2012
See All Example Sentences for gray matter
New Atlas, 29 July 2025
While gray matter naturally decreases with age, research indicates that adults who engage in excessive screen time have significantly lower gray matter volume compared to their peers.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Brain scans of people who spend time in nature show that their prefrontal cortex has more gray matter and a stronger ability to think clearly and self-regulate.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
The density of signals gives information about the molecular makeup of bodily tissues—distinguishing bone from blood, white matter from gray matter, tumors from healthy tissue.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 Sep. 2012
See All Example Sentences for gray matter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gray matter
Noun
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This has for decades been underpinned by voluntary pricing agreements — voluntary in the sense that non-voluntary terms would have been worse — between the industry and the NHS.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
There is no sense of responsibility or critical assessment of the causes of the refusal to publish in Israel while the massacre continues.—
Uriel Kon
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Would any self-respecting show really risk insulting the viewer’s intelligence so flagrantly?—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Tariff anxieties continue to weigh on family office deal-making, which sunk in August by nearly 50% on a year-over-year basis, according to the private wealth intelligence platform.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His daughter mirrored his parvenue of a wife, a woman beneath him not in station but rather in intellect, someone easily affected and prone to childlike ideas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
-
This survey does not measure intellect.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Whatever the reason behind the tradition may be, Swift and Mahomes were all smiles in the Dirty 30 photo as the WAGS prepare to head into football season together and cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
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For those reasons and more, Rohl’s signing on a season-long loan, with a €20million obligation provided Everton avoid relegation, is intriguing.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gray matter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gray%20matter. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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