gumption

[ guhmp-shuhn ]

noun

, Informal.

1. initiative; aggressiveness; resourcefulness:

   With his gumption he'll make a success of himself.

2. courage; spunk; guts:

   It takes gumption to quit a high-paying job.

3. Chiefly British Dialect. common sense; shrewdness.

gumption

/ ˈɡʌmpʃən /

noun

1. common sense or resourcefulness
2. initiative or courage

   you haven't the gumption to try

Other Words From

• gumption·less adjective
• gumptious adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gumption¹

1710–20; originally Scots

Word History and Origins

Origin of gumption¹

C18: originally Scottish, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

This sporty rabble-rouser—with plucky styling, screaming exhaust note and a fierce 302-horsepower turbo engine—is more in tune with, say, the grit and gumption of Megan Rapinoe.

From Washington Blade

The lawsuit showed gumption, and the judgment, issued in 2012, endeared Mullins to the thousands of NYPD sergeants he represented.

From ProPublica

It’s a moment when the tables turned, and a health professional was reminded of how difficult it is to get help, once everyday folks get the gumption to ask.

From Washington Post

Miss Manners recognizes that this takes gumption and that is the reason that hosts are expected to save their guests that anxiety by making introductions.

From Washington Post

He negotiated tooth prices with Molly in days-long back-and-forth communication, and she generally won, but only after showing gumption.

From Washington Post

Yes, if you have courage, desire, and gumption to do it, why not?

From The Daily Beast

Will the underdogs prevail through hard work and gumption or will billionaires turn Wisconsin into their own playground?

From The Daily Beast

The expression and gumption she sells the number with her eyes is the real magic of Shirley Temple.

From The Daily Beast

Fashion would lose much of its electricity without the head-snapping magnetism of models moving with gumption down a runway.

From The Daily Beast

Mitt Romney, who has reverted to the not-a-follicle-out-of-place hairstyle, never really got up the gumption to hit Newt.

From The Daily Beast

I guess he just stayed there because he happened to light there and didn't have gumption enough to git out.

From Project Gutenberg

This town is God's own country, and there's opportunity for anybody with a pound of energy and an ounce o' gumption.

From Project Gutenberg

"Other one has the gumption," said Sharon, casting a final rain of cigar ash upon the abused rug at his feet.

From Project Gutenberg

Well, she's got more gumption than any one I've seen here so far—seems to take an interest in what she's doing.

From Project Gutenberg

I only wonder that Chicago, with her accredited 'git' and 'gumption,' has not accepted my plan before.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• acumen
• cleverness
• courage
• good sense
• initiative
• resourcefulness
• savvy
• shrewdness