as in prudence
the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters
an Oxford don who was long on erudition but a little short on everyday nous
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nous
His defensive nous has been questioned previously, but do not underestimate the work that the 22-year-old can get through.
—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
The assessment contradicts Western conventional wisdom that Moscow has approached the conflict more as a meat grinder than with strategic nous.
—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Alonso's coaching career has been turbocharged by his impressive tactical nous, which was the driving factor in the success of a Bayer Leverkusen side substantially less well-resourced than its rivals.
—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
He's credited Pep Guardiola for his tactical nous in the past, but that doesn't explain away Sevilla.
—
SI.com,
2 Oct. 2019
The industry will have to use its considerable commercial nous to hit its growth targets if Brexit provokes a deep rupture with the EU.
—
The Economist,
3 May 2018
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
The assessment contradicts Western conventional wisdom that Moscow has approached the conflict more as a meat grinder than with strategic nous.
—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Alonso's coaching career has been turbocharged by his impressive tactical nous, which was the driving factor in the success of a Bayer Leverkusen side substantially less well-resourced than its rivals.
—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
He's credited Pep Guardiola for his tactical nous in the past, but that doesn't explain away Sevilla.
—
SI.com,
2 Oct. 2019
The industry will have to use its considerable commercial nous to hit its growth targets if Brexit provokes a deep rupture with the EU.
—
The Economist,
3 May 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nous
Noun
-
Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.
-
This is how a title is won, with prudence and luck and a foresight that becomes apparent in the afterglow of victory.
Noun
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Their journey spans icy fjords, Byzantine intrigue, and the fabled Silk Road, blending Viking grit with ancient Chinese wisdom, unexpected alliances, and a touch of magic.
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Here the enduring wisdom of Indian spiritual philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, Ojai’s informal patron saint, serves even to hold a recent incursion of ultra-rich to account.
Noun
-
Cancer season shifts your focus towards nurturing a felt sense of security.
-
Starmer has vowed to fight any leadership contest, deepening the sense of crisis within the Labour Party.
Noun
-
What happened to his barbed humanistic wit?
-
With the same masterful blend of wit, insight, and empathy that made John Proctor a runaway hit, Born in the Dirt is a wickedly funny, vibrantly human new play about the meaning of art, community, and the complicated business of making something that lasts.
Noun
-
The versatility, the intelligence, the playmaking and that ineffable ability to win — the Frenchman was a basketball romantic’s dream.
-
As these systems begin to mirror and amplify human intelligence, agency, and even our flaws, the stakes become existential.
Cite this Entry
“Nous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nous. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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