NOUS Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

nous

noun

Definition of nous

chiefly British

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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 See All Example Sentences for nous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nous

Noun

The word prudence seems to be missing as more and more debt is issued.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
Investors also have little confidence that fiscal prudence will return anytime soon.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of prudence

Noun

Wherever fear has replaced curiosity, wherever people have stopped listening, wherever power has outrun wisdom.

— Halla Tómasdóttir, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Somehow, the book is compact enough to fit into a bag, easy to dip into and draw from Le Guin’s wellspring of wisdoms.

— Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of wisdom

Noun

The tightness of White’s control over his arrangements can occasionally foreclose the sense of chaotic freedom inherent to his more collaborative efforts.

— Ryan Meehan, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
This approach was meant to counter Vucic's one-man rule and restore a sense of community and solidarity.

— JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of sense

Noun

Maybe not laugh-out-loud humor, though that’s there, but other forms of humor like wit, deadpan, understatement, exaggeration, recognition, irony.

— Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
Naturally, Roan brought her signature candor and wit to the performance, joking around with fans in the audience.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of wit

Noun

The drills include amphibious landing, air and missile defense and mine sweeping, as well as intelligence gathering, logistics and resupply and casualty evacuation on several remote islands, including Tanegashima.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Other parts of government already contract out rocket launches, cloud storage, satellite intelligence and artificial-intelligence analysis to the tech sector.

— Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026