as in prudence
the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters the company needs a new leader with the gumption and know-how that comes from experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gumption Helping maintain that tone of eternal optimism tinged with gumption is Steve Kerr, who gleefully added another gutsy win over Houston to a resume packed with them. —
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026 The result is music that shows a surprising amount of gumption, if not much else. —Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026 And though preseason predictions pegged Marty Supreme as Gwyneth Paltrow’s big Oscar comeback, Odessa A’zion’s performance as a girlfriend with gumption has usurped the Goopster’s buzz. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026 Wall Street observers admire Paramount Skydance’s new gumption, but also recognize some of its assets face strong, ongoing challenges. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gumption
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026 The result is music that shows a surprising amount of gumption, if not much else. —Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026 And though preseason predictions pegged Marty Supreme as Gwyneth Paltrow’s big Oscar comeback, Odessa A’zion’s performance as a girlfriend with gumption has usurped the Goopster’s buzz. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026 Wall Street observers admire Paramount Skydance’s new gumption, but also recognize some of its assets face strong, ongoing challenges. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gumption
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gumption
Noun
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By all accounts, being a milquetoast is a sort of vice—cowardice masquerading as prudence.— Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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China by contrast is beginning to look like a model of prudence and responsibility.— Anatol Lieven, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The difficulty is creating space for a righteous character’s wisdom without reducing them to an angelic caricature.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
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The findings challenge received wisdom about the role of soft-bodied organisms in marine ecosystems and hint at how large body size and intelligence evolved in the denizens of the ocean realm.— Kate Wong, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The story is something of a palimpsest, with Romvari’s own perspective intertwining with the character’s and conveying a sense of being both inside and outside the action.— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
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What’s left is a false sense of urgency that will lead to a budget finalized mostly in the dark, with too many decisions made by staffers and lobbyists.— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Of course, cynics would say this is an easy way to get laughs, but Galifianakis’ quick wit ensures the unfiltered youngsters don’t always take center stage.— Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
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Your laugh, your kindness, your wit, your strength, your loyalty, your passion, and your zest for life.— Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gumption.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/gumption. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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