sound judgment

Meaning

1. 1phraseuncountable

   The ability to make good decisions based on careful thought and experience.

   Grammar: Uncountable; do not use 'a' or plural 'sound judgments'.

   Patterns

   • show sound judgment
   • exercise sound judgment
   • use sound judgment
   • sound judgment about something

   A good leader shows sound judgment when facing difficult choices.

   The report praised the doctor's sound judgment in an emergency.

   Investors need sound judgment to avoid risky deals.

Common combinations

show sound judgment

She showed sound judgment by waiting for more information.

exercise sound judgment

Employees are expected to exercise sound judgment when handling customer data.

rely on someone's sound judgment

We rely on his sound judgment in legal matters.

question someone's sound judgment

The scandal made people question the mayor's sound judgment.

Synonyms and how they differ

good sense

Good sense is more everyday and focuses on practical wisdom; sound judgment is more formal and often implies careful evaluation.

wisdom

Wisdom suggests deep understanding gained over time; sound judgment focuses on the quality of specific decisions.

discernment

Discernment emphasizes the ability to see subtle differences; sound judgment emphasizes making correct choices.

Opposites

Word family

sound adjective

Reliable or based on good reasoning.

judgment noun

The ability to make considered decisions.

judge verb

To form an opinion or make a decision about something.

judgmental adjective

Too quick to criticize others (often negative).

Commonly confused: sound judgment or judgement?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sound judgment”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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