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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Recent Examples of nous
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
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
-
The two big investments in their front seven — particularly Phillips’ whopping four-year, $120 million deal — also meant the Panthers would have to exercise financial prudence with their other additions, at least one of which was a head-scratcher.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
This is not the time for fiscal prudence for the Sharks.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The name of the basilica next to the cloister, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, is indicative of its past, a Catholic basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary over what was once a pagan temple to the Roman god of wisdom, Minerva.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
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But the relentless words of wisdom, and the shouting-to-the-rafters way they’re delivered, soon become tiresome.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the messages of support seemed motivated by a sense of friendship, or at least celebrity-class solidarity.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
-
For some, the fact that she was left out makes no sense.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The title of this Beckett classic just about sums up the onstage plot — but as Vladimir and Estragon pass time under a tree, their absurdist wit turns to existential rage.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
18 Mar. 2026
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What separates Mary from Alex, and the magnetically likable from everyone else, isn’t status, good looks, or wit.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Roughly 400 vessels were spotted operating in the Gulf of Oman, as a massive backlog of ships waited near the chokepoint, according to a report from maritime intelligence firm Windward on Sunday.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Esmaeil Khatib, Iran’s intelligence minister, was targeted in a strike conducted by the IDF in Tehran, Iran.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nous. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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