horse sense

noun

: common sense

Synonyms

• common sense
• discreetness
• discretion
• gumption [chiefly dialect]
• levelheadedness
• nous [chiefly British]
• policy
• prudence
• sense
• sensibleness
• wisdom
• wit

Examples of horse sense in a Sentence

He credits his success to good old-fashioned horse sense.

pure horse sense should tell you it's dangerous to play with matches

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for horse sense

• antisense
• commonsense
• effulgence
• frankincense
• ninepence
• nondefense
• penitence
• recommence
• recompence
• recompense
• cense
• dense

Kids Definition

horse sense

noun

: common sense