common ground — shared beliefs, interests, or opinions between two or more people or groups that serve as a basis for mutual understanding
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: shared beliefs, interests, or opinions between two or more people or groups that serve as a basis for mutual understanding
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkɑːmən ɡraʊnd/
Example Sentences
- The couple's therapist helped them find common ground: they both loved pizza and hated doing dishes.
- The negotiators worked for hours to establish common ground between the two companies.
- Surprisingly, the cat lover and dog enthusiast found common ground: they both thought hamsters were weird.
common ground
NOUN[/ˈkɑːmən ɡraʊnd/]
shared beliefs, interests, or opinions between two or more people or groups that serve as a basis for mutual understanding
After hours of debate, the two leaders finally found common ground on climate action.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Common derives from Latin communis (shared, common), while ground comes from Old English grund (foundation, earth). The compound phrase 'common ground' emerged in the 17th century to denote a shared basis for agreement or understanding.
Breakdown
common (Latin communis, meaning shared) + ground (Old English grund, meaning foundation or earth). Together they form a metaphorical expression for shared foundation or mutual understanding.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The couple's therapist helped them find common ground: they both loved pizza and hated doing dishes.”
“The negotiators worked for hours to establish common ground between the two companies.”
“Surprisingly, the cat lover and dog enthusiast found common ground: they both thought hamsters were weird.”
“The peace talks failed because neither side could identify any common ground.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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