How to Use gumption in a Sentence

gumption

noun
  • It took a lot of gumption to speak up for yourself like that.
  • The cheek, the nerve, the gall, the audacity, and the gumption.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2021
  • The Democrats likely don’t have the gumption to do this.
    — Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 24 Jan. 2022
  • With Earp gone, there was no one with the heart or gumption to pursue charges against him.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 13 June 2021
  • Whoever makes that roll of the dice should have a clear vision of the road ahead, and the gumption to see it through.
    — Michael Powell, New York Times, 27 June 2018
  • Some even had the gumption to invite foreign help to come to Hong Kong while the gates to the city were largely locked.
    — Karen Chu, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2023
  • Not one person on that stage had the gumption or the wherewithal to say...
    — ABC News, 22 Feb. 2020
  • One coach got fired after having the gumption to start him.
    — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2022
  • But with enough pluck and gumption, plus money and genius, it can be done.
    — Joel Achenbach, Washington Post, 19 June 2019
  • But with enough pluck and gumption, plus money and genius, it can be done.
    — The Washington Post, al.com, 19 June 2019
  • That Frk doesn’t lose his gumption for shooting concerns the Wings.
    — Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 8 Jan. 2018
  • For Le, putting her hand up for pre-selection took a lot of gumption.
    — Alicia Vrajlal, refinery29.com, 17 Sep. 2021
  • Michael Kirby said his father was impressed with this girl who had the gumption to play on a team of boys.
    — The Indianapolis Star, 22 July 2022
  • Some of the songs are about making things happen and having self-esteem and enough pride and gumption to go for it.
    — August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024
  • Older pitchers learn to get by with junk, gumption and maybe a little bit of pine tar.
    — Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 9 Apr. 2021
  • Even shaved ice has the gumption and self-respect to stick around when it's pressed into snow-cone service.
    — Star Tribune, 9 July 2021
  • And the only people with the integrity, gumption and sleuthing skills to save it are Mitch and his lifeguards.
    — A. O. Scott, New York Times, 24 May 2017
  • Blame him for not having the gumption to stick it out and to referee the disputes more adeptly.
    — Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com, 8 Dec. 2017
  • Do the Angels have the gumption to try again and attempt to land a superstar like Guerrero?
    — Jim Bowden, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Angela has that marvelous gumption, and that's one of the nice things that Jessica has.
    — Julie Tremaine, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2024
  • Miller is ready to show culinary skills laced with Houston gumption.
    — Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle, 3 July 2018
  • Alice and Leo also show the kind of gumption that suggests spycraft runs in the bloodline.
    — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
  • Last fall, after months of attacks, the movie industry showed a rare bit of gumption.
    — Aatish Taseer, The Atlantic, 10 June 2021
  • What they’re made of, we were thrillingly reminded, is a potent mix of grit and gumption.
    — Bryce Miller Columnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Oct. 2020
  • His gumption, along with the hard work of his partners, has turned an idea into the only 24-hour, 7-days-a-week sports network in the country.
    — Chris Hays, Orlando Sentinel, 31 July 2022
  • This guy’s all wide-eyed gumption and smirking confidence — not the cynic who gets a crash course in the Force later in life.
    — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 15 May 2018
  • Maddie is a feral woman with a lot of gumption, who is a fighter and a survivor.
    — Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2025
  • But Forbes’ gumption was irreplaceable in the first half.
    — Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 11 Mar. 2024
  • Or, rather, how many players in Murillo’s position would ever have the wit and gumption to try to pull it off?
    — Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Returning to Louisville in 2018, Gilda brought that gumption with her.
    — Mandy McLaren, The Courier-Journal, 8 June 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gumption.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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