noun
gumption
GUHMP-shuhn
noun
1
Practical common sense and the drive to get things done without being told.
"It takes real gumption to start a business with no savings."
"She showed a lot of gumption fixing the leak herself instead of waiting for a plumber."
How to Use Gumption
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDown-to-earth initiative and resourcefulness — the get-up-and-go to handle things yourself.
Memory tip
It is almost always used as a compliment, describing someone practical and gutsy rather than clever in an academic sense.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
have the gumption to
show some gumption
lacks gumption
Word Forms
gumptions plural
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It takes real _____ to start a business with no savings.
Etymology
Borrowed from Scots gumption ("common sense, shrewdness, drive"); its deeper roots are unclear, though it may be connected to an old word meaning "attention" or "heed".