gut check
Inner resolve assessment
A gut check is a moment of honest self-assessment—pausing to examine your instincts, motives, or resolve: Before accepting the job, I needed a gut check about whether I really wanted to move.
The phrase implies consulting your deepest feelings rather than logic.
In sports, a gut check tests whether you have the determination to push through difficulty.
Unproven inner sense
- intuitionInstinctive immediate understanding
- sixth senseExtrasensory perception ability
- feelingSensed inner state
- inklingSlight, uncertain awareness
premonition · visceral · impulse · inner voice · snap judgment · first impression · reaction · sense
Truthfulness, sincerity
- sincerityHonest, unfeigned genuineness
- genuinenessQuality of being real
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- truthfulnessHabit of not lying
transparency · credibility · trustworthiness · candor · realness · straight talk · no-nonsense · unvarnished
Formal evaluation of worth
- evaluationDetermining worth or quality
- validationConfirming truth or accuracy
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
- auditFormal accounts examination
review · examination · scrutiny · due diligence · vetting · litmus test · quick assessment
Temporary cessation of activity
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- second thoughtReconsideration of a decision
- warinessCautious distrust
- doubtLack of firm belief
skepticism · circumspection · prudence · deliberation · reservation · red flag · warning sign · misgiving
hunch
Unproven inner sense
- intuitionInstinctive immediate understanding
- sixth senseExtrasensory perception ability
- feelingSensed inner state
inkling · premonition · visceral · impulse · inner voice · snap judgment · first impression · reaction · sense · suspicion
honesty
Truthfulness, sincerity
- sincerityHonest, unfeigned genuineness
- genuinenessQuality of being real
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
truthfulness · transparency · credibility · trustworthiness · candor · realness · straight talk · no-nonsense · unvarnished · frank
assessment
Formal evaluation of worth
- evaluationDetermining worth or quality
- validationConfirming truth or accuracy
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
audit · review · examination · scrutiny · due diligence · vetting · litmus test · quick assessment
pause
Temporary cessation of activity
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- second thoughtReconsideration of a decision
- warinessCautious distrust
doubt · skepticism · circumspection · prudence · deliberation · reservation · red flag · warning sign · misgiving · unease
- checkspaycheck, preflight, final review, checkup, checklist
- estimatesestimate, estimation, ballpark, ballpark estimate, rough estimate
- gutintestine, small intestine, large intestine, colon, bowel
- self-reflectionjournaling, self-reflection, self-awareness, introspection, self-examination
- teststest, tests, exam, exams, quiz
- crossroadscrossroads, fork in the road, fork in road, junction, juncture
gut checkdue diligence
Pre-transaction reasonable care
cost-benefit analysis · deep dive · critical analysis · committee review · peer review
gut checklogical reasoning
Structured thought process
critical thinking · deliberation · rational thought · careful thought · slow thinking
gut, check, guts, gutted, gutting, gutsy, checks, checked, checking