Merriam-Webster Logo
  • Dictionary
  • Thesaurus
  • Scrabble
  • Spanish Central
  • Learner's Dictionary




Synonyms and Antonyms of wisdom

  1. 1 the ability to understand inner qualities or relationships <with age and experience comes wisdom—hopefully> <neither book learning nor simple intelligence should be confused with wisdom> Synonyms discernment, insight, perception, perceptiveness, perceptivity, sagaciousness, sagacity, sageness, sapience Related Words acuity, acumen, astuteness, clear-sightedness, keenness, penetration, percipience, perspicacity, sensitivity, understanding; appreciation, apprehension, comprehension, grasp; brain(s), braininess, brightness, brilliance, canniness, cleverness, gray matter, intellect, intelligence, judgment (or judgement), mentality, power, reason, sense, smartness, wit; discrimination, foresight, foresightedness, judiciousness, prudence, sanity; logic, rationality Near Antonyms density, dullness (also dulness), obtuseness; brainlessness, folly, foolishness, idiocy, imbecility, mindlessness, silliness, simplemindedness, simpleness, stupidity, witlessness; illogic, irrationality, unreasonableness, unsoundness; craziness, insanity, lunacy, madness; preposterousness, senselessness, silliness, zaniness

  2. 2 a body of facts learned by study or experience <the orientation meetings will provide the company's old hands with an opportunity to pass on their wisdom to the new employees> Synonyms lore, science, knowledgeRelated Words dope, information, intelligence, know, lowdown, news, skinny [slang]; data, evidence, facts; acquaintance, awareness, familiarity, literacy; erudition, learning, scholarship; expertise, know-howNear Antonyms ignorance, inexperience, innocence, nescience, unfamiliarity

  3. 3 the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters <had overstayed her welcome and lacked the wisdom to know it> Synonyms discreetness, discretion, gumption [chiefly dialect], horse sense, levelheadedness, nous [chiefly British], policy, prudence, sense, sensibleness, common sense, witRelated Words street smarts; farsightedness, forehandedness, foresight, foresightedness, forethoughtfulness, judgment (or judgement); brains, gray matter, intelligence; logicality, logicalness, practicality, rationality, rationalness; discernment, discrimination, insight, sagacity, sapience; acumen, astuteness, clearheadedness, keenness, penetration, perspicacity, shrewdness; care, caution, circumspection, precaution, premeditationNear Antonyms shortsightedness; brainlessness, foolishness, half-wittedness, idiocy, senselessness, stupidity; carelessness, heedlessness; unreasonablenessAntonyms imprudence, indiscretion

  4. 4 suitability for bringing about a desired result under the circumstances <wondered about the wisdom of hiring such an inexperienced girl to care for the children> Synonyms advisability, advisableness, desirability, desirableness, expedience, judiciousness, prudence, expediencyRelated Words advantageousness, beneficialness, profitability; feasibility, practicality, usefulness; opportuneness, seasonableness, timelinessNear Antonyms impracticality, infeasibility; inopportuneness, unseasonableness, untimelinessAntonyms imprudence, inadvisability, inexpedience, inexpediency, injudiciousness, unwisdom

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up wisdom? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


deserving imitation because of excellence

Get Word of the Day daily email!


Take a 3-minute break and test your skills!


Which of these is a synonym of nonplus?

disapprove reduce soothe perplex
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

