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Acumen vs Surmise - What's the difference?

acumen | surmise |

As nouns the difference between acumen and surmise

is that acumen is quickness of perception or discernment; penetration of mind; the faculty of nice discrimination while surmise is thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess.

As a verb surmise is

to conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises.

acumen

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Quickness of perception or discernment; penetration of mind; the faculty of nice discrimination.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2 , passage=Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke.
  • *
    • No, no, my dear Watson! With all respect for your natural acumen , I do not think that you are quite a match for the worthy doctor.
  • * 1991 ,
    • Hannibal Lecter: Why do you think he removes their skins, Agent Starling? Enthrall me with your acumen .

    Synonyms

    * sharpness, penetration, keenness, shrewdness, acuteness, acuity, wit, foxiness, intelligence, canniness

    surmise

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess.
    • surmises of jealousy or of envy
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • No man ought to be charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices contradict his profession; not upon small surmises .
  • * 1919 ,
    • The meeting had been devoid of incident. No word had been said to give me anything to think about, and any surmises I might make were unwarranted. I was intrigued.
  • Reflection; thought; posit.
    • (Shakespeare)

    Verb

    (surmis)
  • To conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises.

    • External links

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