acumen

[ uh-kyoo-muh n, ak-yuh- ]

/ əˈkyu mən, ˈæk yə- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR acumen ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

keen insight; shrewdness: remarkable acumen in business matters.

Nearby words

acuate, acuff, acuity, aculeate, aculeus, acumen, acuminate, acupoint, acupressure, acupuncture, acupuncturist

Origin of acumen

1525–35; < Latin acūmen sharpness, equivalent to acū- (stem of acuere to sharpen; see acute) + -men noun suffix

Related forms

a·cu·mi·nous

[uh-kyoo-muh-nuh s] /əˈkyu mə nəs/, adjectiveun·a·cu·mi·nous, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for acumen

Yet the military—for all its monopoly of power—strangely lacks the acumen and competence that should guide power.
David's Book Club: Pakistan, Between Mosque and Military|David Frum|April 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST
She serves on the boards of the Sundance Institute, Acumen Fund, VDAY, and Human Rights Watch.
2012 Summit: Who's On Stage||March 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The lawyers are chosen not just for their acumen but also with an eye toward the filmic.
Celebrity Legal Eagles|Rebecca Dana|July 25, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Novogratz was shocked, since for Acumen Fund to succeed, it's vitally important that every single person pays back.
Philanthropy's Transformer|Liz Goodwin|March 9, 2010|DAILY BEAST

I have known him for 20 years and admire his audacity, acumen, and vision.
Q and A with Tina Brown|The Daily Beast|October 5, 2008|DAILY BEAST
Linna noticed the curious act, but, great as was her acumen for one of her years, she did not suspect its meaning.
The Daughter of the Chieftain|Edward S. Ellis
He is a grand philosopher, and I wot well could explain a much knottier riddle, which we will presently submit to his acumen.
Rienzi|Edward Bulwer Lytton
She had come to respect his acumen, and fear he might draw an inference not too far from the truth if she denied him an interview.
The Grell Mystery|Frank Froest
How do sharpness, acuteness, penetration, and insight compare with acumen?
English Synonyms and Antonyms|James Champlin Fernald
Perhaps her acumen had helped her too, for she had seen correctly the coming boom.
A Bed of Roses|W. L. George

British Dictionary definitions for acumen

acumen

/ (ˈækjʊˌmɛn, əˈkjuːmən) /

noun

the ability to judge well; keen discernment; insight

Derived Forms

acuminous, adjective

Word Origin for acumen

C16: from Latin: sharpness, from acuere to sharpen, from acus needle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012