Word: acumen (noun)

Associations

"Acumen" means the ability to think clearly and make good decisions, especially in business or practical matters. It shows sharpness and quick understanding.

• Business acumen: Knowing how to run a business well.
• Political acumen: Understanding politics deeply and making smart choices.
• Financial acumen: Skill in managing money and investments. A well-known synonym is "insight." The difference: insight is a deep understanding, while acumen is more about quick, practical intelligence and decision-making.

Substitution

You can replace "acumen" with:

• sharpness – focuses on mental quickness.
• savvy – informal, meaning practical knowledge.
• intelligence – more general, not always practical. Using "savvy" makes it sound more casual, while "intelligence" can be broader and less about practical decisions.

Deconstruction

"Acumen" comes from Latin "acumen," meaning "a point" or "sharpness." Think of it as mental sharpness, like the point of a knife. No prefix or suffix here, just the root meaning sharpness or keenness.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when someone showed acumen in solving a problem quickly?
• How do you develop acumen in a new skill or job?
• Is acumen more important than knowledge? Why or why not?