as in prudence
the ability to make intelligent decisions especially in everyday matters
pure horse sense should tell you it's dangerous to play with matches
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Recent Examples of horse sense
Anheuser-Busch will have to see how viewers react to its latest ad to determine if consumers think the Clydesdales still present good horse sense or represent a horse of a different color.
—
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Our people have a horse sense for what good work is.
—Beth Greenfield, Fortune, 1 July 2024
His words of wisdom are tinged with wit and old-fashioned horse sense.
—Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2024
My bet is that Smith has that political horse sense.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 8 June 2023
But Lord knows, there’s a mountain of acumen and perspicacity or, in plain terms, good horse sense stored in those minds and souls.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Jan. 2023
Back in 2011, Daniels, a former Bush White House official and two-term Indiana governor known for his conservative horse sense and low-key manner, passed on a White House run and went on to accept the Purdue presidency.
—Frederick Hess, Forbes, 16 June 2022
In an age when Hollywood’s highest-profile parent-child relationship is that between Britney Spears and her father, what could be more refreshing than the homespun horse sense of the Howard boys?
—Peter Tonguette, WSJ, 7 Oct. 2021
People have many ways of talking about intuition: gut, nose, sixth sense, horse sense, Spidey-sense.
—Steve Kolowich, Washington Post, 20 June 2019
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Our people have a horse sense for what good work is.
—Beth Greenfield, Fortune, 1 July 2024
His words of wisdom are tinged with wit and old-fashioned horse sense.
—Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2024
My bet is that Smith has that political horse sense.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 8 June 2023
But Lord knows, there’s a mountain of acumen and perspicacity or, in plain terms, good horse sense stored in those minds and souls.
—Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Jan. 2023
Back in 2011, Daniels, a former Bush White House official and two-term Indiana governor known for his conservative horse sense and low-key manner, passed on a White House run and went on to accept the Purdue presidency.
—Frederick Hess, Forbes, 16 June 2022
In an age when Hollywood’s highest-profile parent-child relationship is that between Britney Spears and her father, what could be more refreshing than the homespun horse sense of the Howard boys?
—Peter Tonguette, WSJ, 7 Oct. 2021
People have many ways of talking about intuition: gut, nose, sixth sense, horse sense, Spidey-sense.
—Steve Kolowich, Washington Post, 20 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for horse sense
Noun
-
Over and over again, the owners opt for organizational stagnation and attempt to disguise it as prudence.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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The state police Troop H barracks are nearby but prudence suggested assigning a State Police trooper to the building would be best way to provide an immediate response to a problem.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
If affordability is today’s most pressing challenge, lawmakers must not confuse volume with wisdom, and instead confront the policies that continue to drive high costs and limit opportunity.—
Carol Platt Liebau,
Hartford Courant,
5 Feb. 2026
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Just as Clinton Edgar Woods saw the wisdom of combining the advantages of gasoline and electric power, so today’s hybrids could serve as a bridge while battery technology and charging infrastructure continue to mature.—
Bill Gourgey,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Much of the crowd has–or knows someone who has, contributed to the sense of community that permeates the space.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
As a three-term Mecklenburg County commissioner, my daily concern is delivering common-sense solutions to our problems as efficiently as possible to keep the tax rate low.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the most thrilling moments in movie history come from people testing the limits of gravity, speed and common sense.—
Maira Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Double jeopardy by any common sense.—
Rachel Wolf , Maria Paronich , Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Still, don’t be afraid to let your quick wit make a complex topic simple.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Some voters may not respond to his charm and wit.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Our allies have abandoned us, and foreign leaders are moving on with trade policies and business deals without us.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Semmann said stores raise prices primarily in response to supply chain issues, such as poor harvests, changes to international trade policy or increasing logistical costs.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Horse sense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/horse%20sense. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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