wisdom

wisdom — noun

1. the capacity to draw on what you have learned through life and apply it well whe

1.nounB2
Definition

the capacity to draw on what you have learned through life and apply it well when deciding what action to take or what guidance to offer.

Example

Iris showed great wisdom in choosing a career that matched her natural talents.

uncountable noun + in [gerund] pattern

The village elders were respected for their wisdom in settling local disputes.

possessive: their wisdom + in [gerund]

Common collocations
  • gain wisdom
  • show wisdom
  • wisdom comes with age
  • words of wisdom
  • pearl of wisdom
Synonyms
  • judgment

    more specific — refers to the ability to assess a situation and decide, which can be good or poor

  • insight

    emphasises the ability to see the true nature of a situation, often suddenly or intuitively

  • common sense

    practical, everyday good judgment that most people are expected to have; narrower than wisdom

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

often used with possessive: someone's wisdom

Common Mistakes

He has a lot of wisdoms about investing.
He has a lot of wisdom about investing.
'wisdom' is an uncountable noun and does not take a plural form.

2. the body of knowledge and beliefs that a particular group of people has develope

2.nounB2
Definition

the body of knowledge and beliefs that a particular group of people has developed gradually and handed down over centuries.

Example

The book shares ancient wisdom about farming and predicting the changing seasons.

adjective + wisdom: ancient wisdom

Traditional Chinese wisdom teaches that health depends on balance in daily life.

adjective + wisdom: traditional Chinese wisdom

Common collocations
  • ancient wisdom
  • traditional wisdom
  • folk wisdom
  • passed-down wisdom
  • wisdom of the ages
Synonyms
  • knowledge

    broader — includes any information or understanding, not necessarily accumulated over time

  • lore

    more specific — refers to traditional knowledge or stories about a particular subject

  • teachings

    focuses on the instructional aspect of passed-down wisdom

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

often modified by an adjective: ancient wisdom, traditional wisdom

Usage Note

Frequently modified by adjectives such as 'ancient,' 'traditional,' 'folk,' or 'oral.' This sense focuses on collective cultural knowledge rather than an individual's mental ability.

3. a belief or opinion that is accepted by most people in a society, often without

3.nounC1
Definition

a belief or opinion that is accepted by most people in a society, often without being questioned.

Example

Conventional wisdom says that eating breakfast is important for your health.

fixed phrase: conventional wisdom + says that-clause

Élise challenged the accepted wisdom that remote workers are less productive.

verb + wisdom: challenge the [adjective] wisdom

Common collocations
  • conventional wisdom
  • received wisdom
  • accepted wisdom
  • challenge the wisdom
  • question the wisdom
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • counterculture

    a way of life opposed to the accepted norms

  • heresy

    an opinion that goes against what is generally accepted, especially in a religious context

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

almost always in the fixed phrases: conventional wisdom, received wisdom

Usage Note

Rarely used outside the fixed expressions 'conventional wisdom' and 'received wisdom.' The phrase typically introduces a belief that is later questioned or proven wrong.

Common Mistakes

The wisdom is that exercise is good for you.
Conventional wisdom says that exercise is good for you.
'wisdom' alone does not mean 'what most people believe'; use the full phrase 'conventional wisdom.'

4. the habit of making careful and sensible choices, especially by thinking about p

4.nounB2
Definition

the habit of making careful and sensible choices, especially by thinking about possible dangers or problems before you act.

Example

Vikram had the wisdom to save part of his income every month.

pattern: have the wisdom to [infinitive]

Sumin questioned the wisdom of driving home through the heavy snowstorm.

pattern: question the wisdom of [gerund]

Common collocations
  • question the wisdom of
  • doubt the wisdom of
  • have the wisdom to
  • act with wisdom
  • showed wisdom in
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

uncountable

patterns: have the wisdom to [verb], question/doubt the wisdom of [gerund]

Usage Note

Focuses on the quality of a specific decision or action rather than a person's general ability (sense 1). Frequently appears in the patterns 'have the wisdom to [do something]' and 'question/doubt the wisdom of [doing something].'

Common Mistakes

He acted with wisdom when he invested all his money in one stock.
He had the wisdom to spread his investments across different funds.
investing all money in one stock is the opposite of prudent wisdom; the example should show careful, risk-aware decision-making.
Idioms

conventional/received/popular wisdom

idiom

The opinion or belief that is commonly accepted by most people.

Conventional wisdom says that breakfast is the most important meal.

Popular wisdom suggests that you should save money for emergencies.

in his/her/its, etc. (infinite) wisdom

idiom

Used to express confusion or disagreement with someone's decision, implying it seems unwise.

The committee in its wisdom decided to cut the funding.

My boss, in her infinite wisdom, changed the schedule again.

a pearl of wisdom

idiom

A short, wise statement or piece of advice.

Grandpa shared a pearl of wisdom about patience.

Did you get any pearls of wisdom from the lecture?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Wisdom (sense 1) is the broad ability to make sound decisions based on experience and knowledge—it is built gradually over time. Judgment refers more narrowly to the capacity to assess situations and reach conclusions; unlike wisdom, it can be described as 'good' or 'poor.' Insight is the ability to see into the true nature of a situation, often arriving suddenly or intuitively, whereas wisdom develops slowly through living. Common sense is practical, everyday good judgment that most adults are expected to have—a person can have common sense without being wise, but wisdom includes it as one component. Prudence focuses on careful, risk-avoidant decision-making, which is only one part of wisdom's broader scope. For example, a young manager might show good judgment in hiring (a single decision) and have common sense about daily operations, but still lack the wisdom that comes from years of handling complex team dynamics.

judgment ↗insight ↗common senseprudence

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • with wisdom
  • wisdom of
  • wisdom in

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'wīsdōm,' a compound of 'wīs' (wise) and 'dōm' (judgment, state of being). The word literally means 'the state of being wise.' It is related to Old Saxon 'wīsdōm,' Old High German 'wīstuom' (modern German 'Weisheit'), and Old Norse 'vísdómr.' The root goes back to the Proto-Indo-European root *weid- ('to see, to know'), which also gave Latin 'vidēre' (to see) and Sanskrit 'veda' (knowledge).