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Acumen: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Acumen noun. Skill at judging situations quickly and making good decisions, especially in business.
How to say it
AK-yoo-mun/ˈakjʊmən/ · American /əˈkjuːmən/
3 syllables, stressed on the first (AK).
Acumen in a sentence
She had no degree, but her business acumen turned one market stall into three shops.
It takes real political acumen to keep both the unions and the shareholders happy.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- shrewdness
- astuteness
- judgement
- savvy
Opposite:
- naivety
Where acumen comes from
From Latin acumen, a point or sharpness, from acuere, to sharpen.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
It takes real political _____ to keep both the unions and the shareholders happy.
- acumen
- malingerer
- journeyman
Show the answer
acumen: It takes real political acumen to keep both the unions and the shareholders happy.