wisdom

1 of 2

noun (1)

wis·​dom ˈwiz-dəm How to pronounce wisdom (audio)
Synonyms of wisdomnext
1
a
: ability to discern inner qualities and relationships : insight
b
: good sense : judgment
c
: generally accepted belief
challenges what has become accepted wisdom among many historians—Robert Darnton
d
: accumulated philosophical or scientific learning : knowledge
2
: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action
3
: the teachings of the ancient wise men

Wisdom

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a didactic book included in the Roman Catholic canon of the Old Testament and corresponding to the Wisdom of Solomon in the Protestant Apocrypha see Bible Table

Synonyms

Noun (1)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for wisdom

sense, common sense, judgment, wisdom mean ability to reach intelligent conclusions.

sense implies a reliable ability to judge and decide with soundness, prudence, and intelligence.

a choice showing good sense

common sense suggests an average degree of such ability without sophistication or special knowledge.

common sense tells me it's wrong

judgment implies sense tempered and refined by experience, training, and maturity.

they relied on her judgment for guidance

wisdom implies sense and judgment far above average.

a leader of rare wisdom

Examples of wisdom in a Sentence

Noun (1) She has gained a lot of wisdom over the years. a young person of great wisdom He had the wisdom to stop before he said too much. I fail to see the wisdom in doing that. He shared a valuable bit of wisdom with his daughter. These stories offer plenty of wisdom to readers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Entrepreneurship is the very definition of defied wisdom. —Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024 Selena Gomez is sharing some special words of wisdom she’s received from her peers. —Escher Walcott, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024 Giving cash doesn’t have to be awkward Despite popular convention that cash presents are gauche, tacky, or uninspired, Post says the annals of etiquette wisdom permit monetary gifts. —Allie Volpe, Vox, 19 Nov. 2024 The press tour for Horizon was one for the ages, with each Costner appearance offering us a new nugget of wisdom from the Academy Award–winning movie star. —Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wisdom 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English wīsdōm, from wīs wise

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1d

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wisdom was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing wisdom

Dictionary Entries Near wisdom

Wisdom

wisdom

Wisdom of Solomon

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Wisdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wisdom. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

wisdom

1 of 2 noun
wis·​dom ˈwiz-dəm How to pronounce wisdom (audio)
1
a
: learning acquired over a period of time : knowledge
b
: ability to see beneath the surface of things : insight
c
: good sense : judgment
2
: a wise attitude, belief, or course of action

Wisdom

2 of 2 noun
: a didactic book included in the Roman Catholic canon of the Old Testament and corresponding to the Wisdom of Solomon in the Protestant Apocrypha see bible

More from Merriam-Webster on wisdom

Nglish: Translation of wisdom for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of wisdom for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wisdom

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...