GUMPTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gumption mean? 

• GUMPTION (noun)
  The noun GUMPTION has 2 senses:

1. sound practical judgment

2. fortitude and determination

  Familiarity information: GUMPTION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GUMPTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sound practical judgment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

common sense; good sense; gumption; horse sense; mother wit; sense

Context example:

fortunately she had the good sense to run away

Hypernyms ("gumption" is a kind of...):

discernment; judgement; judgment; sagaciousness; sagacity (the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gumption"):

logic (reasoned and reasonable judgment)

nous (common sense)

road sense (good judgment in avoiding trouble or accidents on the road)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Fortitude and determination

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

backbone; grit; gumption; guts; moxie; sand

Context example:

he didn't have the guts to try it

Hypernyms ("gumption" is a kind of...):

fortitude (strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage)

Domain usage:

colloquialism (a colloquial expression; characteristic of spoken or written communication that seeks to imitate informal speech)

 Context examples 

I wish I had a glass of beer; but I can't get up the gumption to go down to the village an' get it.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)