NOUS Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

nous

noun

Definition of nous

chiefly British

as in prudence

the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters an Oxford don who was long on erudition but a little short on everyday nous

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of nous His defensive nous has been questioned previously, but do not underestimate the work that the 22-year-old can get through. — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 May 2026 He's credited Pep Guardiola for his tactical nous in the past, but that doesn't explain away Sevilla. — SI.com, 2 Oct. 2019 The industry will have to use its considerable commercial nous to hit its growth targets if Brexit provokes a deep rupture with the EU. — The Economist, 3 May 2018 The assessment contradicts Western conventional wisdom that Moscow has approached the conflict more as a meat grinder than with strategic nous. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025 Alonso's coaching career has been turbocharged by his impressive tactical nous, which was the driving factor in the success of a Bayer Leverkusen side substantially less well-resourced than its rivals. — Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nous

Noun

But not necessarily the knowledge, confidence or contacts to take it to next stage of monetization, strike collaborative partnerships or exercise operational prudence.

— Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Considering there were only 33 appearances this past season, such Heat prudence hardly could be viewed as insulting.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 2026

Definition of prudence

Noun

Against that backdrop, some say the ships are offering a surprising sense of connection.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Since relocating to Los Angeles, Gonzalez’s small downtown team has scaled Happy Organics into a design-forward brand carried by major retailers, anchored in local maker communities and a sense of purpose.

— Lisa Boone, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of sense

Noun

Bobbi Queen, a former senior fashion editor at WWD who was known for her intelligence, wit and sense of style, died Thursday at her New York apartment at the age of 84.

— Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 6 July 2026
Autonomy with human oversight Artificial intelligence handles much of CobraJet’s flight through an autonomous autopilot supported by electro-optical and infrared cameras.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026