Nous
What it means
Practical intelligence and sound everyday judgment.
Reach for it when praising practical intelligence and sound everyday judgment
Her practical nous kept the complicated move on schedule.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal | |
| literary |
|
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playful
horse sense
Fits when plain homespun judgment suits the voice
Careful The idiom is dated and culturally marked.
-
everyday
Fits when sound ordinary judgment is the point
Careful Common sense varies by culture and can mask assumptions.
-
everyday
Fits when practical know-how in a field matters
Careful Savvy is informal and often commercial.
-
warm
Fits when good judgment shaped by understanding matters
Careful Wisdom is broader and more reflective.
-
professional
Fits when sharp judgment in complex matters is proven
Careful Acumen suggests specialist skill more than everyday sense.
-
formal
shrewdness
Fits when keen practical calculation is central
Careful Shrewdness can imply self-interest.
Opposites 3
- folly
- naivety
- imprudence
Common phrases 3
-
practical nous
Her practical nous kept the crowded move on schedule.
-
political nous
Political nous helped the coalition preserve its shared goal.
-
have the nous to
They have the nous to test the old valve before ordering parts.
Usage notes
Keep in mind
Nous in this sense is chiefly British and may be opaque to readers who know only the philosophical Greek term.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Neskaya, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated