acumen
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acumen
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin acūmen “sharpness,” from acū-, stem of acuere “to sharpen” ( see acute) + -men, noun suffix
Explanation
If you have acumen, you are very sharp at what you do. You hope your accountant and your surgeon are both known for their acumen. The noun acumen comes from the Latin word acumen, meaning “a point,” or “sting.” If you are able to make pointed decisions, if you have a sharp intellect, if you make good strategic moves, if you are successful in your field, or if your business instincts are spot-on, you have acumen. Even if you inherit an entire wholesale furniture dynasty from your grandfather, you could end up with nothing if you don’t have his business acumen.
Vocabulary lists containing acumen
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
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300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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GRE Verbal Reasoning, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Before jumping to conclusions, here’s what The Moneyist suggests he do first, and how to deal with a parent’s rapidly declining acumen.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
The agents haggled over prices for potato chips and whittled down operating costs with impressive acumen.
From Slate ● Oct. 25, 2026
They aren’t phased by narratives designed to devalue their accolades and their acumen.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026
Mr. Kozinski certainly possesses impressive legal acumen by nature of his profession.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
He showed his business acumen by selling the compasses relatively cheaply and charging a healthy tuition fee to anyone who wanted to know how to use it.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
