Acumen Meaning
/ˈækjʊmən/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounQuickness of perception or discernment; penetration of mind; the faculty of nice discrimination; acuity of mind.
nounA sharp, tapering point extending from a plant.
Sentence Examples
She is a lady of business acumen.
It is obvious to me that he has no political acumen at all.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her sharp business ____ allowed her to turn a failing company into a profitable enterprise within two years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her business ____ helped her build a successful company from scratch.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Latin acūmen (“sharp point”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
""I am going to ask you a question that does not require much legal acumen to answer," said Lord Meersbrook to his attorney, when he called the next day in Lincoln's Inn;..."
— 1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XXXVII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 168:
"Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.[…]A silver snaffle on a heavy leather watch guard which connected the pockets of his corduroy waistcoat, together with a huge gold stirrup in his Ascot tie, sufficiently proclaimed his tastes.[…]But withal there was a perceptible acumen about the man which was puzzling in the extreme."
— 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
"No, no, my dear Watson! With all respect for your natural acumen, I do not think that you are quite a match for the worthy doctor."
— 1905, Arthur Conan Doyle, “The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter”, in The Return of Sherlock Holmes:
"Why do you think he removes their skins, Agent Starling? Enthrall me with your acumen."
— 1991, Ted Tally, The Silence of the Lambs (motion picture), spoken by Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins):
"[A]s [US president Donald Trump] turns up the pressure – calling the Fed chair [Jerome Powell] names and questioning his acumen – he’s ignited a firestorm in legal and financial circles."
— 2025 April 21, Laurent Belsie, “Markets falter as Trump attacks Fed’s independence – and its chair”, in The Christian Science Monitor:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
Her sharp business ____ allowed her to turn a failing company into a profitable enterprise within two years.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her business ____ helped her build a successful company from scratch.