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GRE vocabulary

acumen

nounHigh-frequency wordMore A words

keen insight and shrewd judgment

Word origin: From Latin acumen, a point or sharpness, from acuere to sharpen.

In a sentence

Acumen in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing acumen in a sentence.

Her business acumen turned a failing shop into a thriving enterprise.

Her financial acumen allowed the firm to anticipate the downturn months before its rivals did.

Synonyms
shrewdnessastutenessdiscernment
Antonyms
obtusenessignorancestupidity
Usage & nuance

Using “acumen” well

Acumen denotes keen, practical sharpness of judgment, often paired with a domain such as business or political acumen. It emphasizes shrewd discernment in action, not mere book learning.

Common questions

Questions about “acumen

Acumen (noun) means keen insight and shrewd judgment
Here is acumen used in an example sentence: "Her business acumen turned a failing shop into a thriving enterprise." Another example: "Her financial acumen allowed the firm to anticipate the downturn months before its rivals did."
Common synonyms for acumen include shrewdness, astuteness, discernment.
Antonyms of acumen include obtuseness, ignorance, stupidity.
Acumen clusters with shrewdness, astuteness, and discernment in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms obtuseness, ignorance, and stupidity mark the dullness a passage may set against it.
Yes. Acumen is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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