common ground

noun

1. a foundation of common interest or comprehension, as in a social relationship or a discussion.

common ground

noun

1. an agreed basis, accepted by both or all parties, for identifying issues in an argument

Word History and Origins

Origin of common ground¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Idioms and Phrases

Shared beliefs or interests, a foundation for mutual understanding. For example, The European Union is struggling to find common ground for establishing a single currency . [1920s]

Example Sentences

"I don't think this is about an industry that tried to find regulatory common ground"

From Salon

Politicians of all stripes, our president and president-elect among them, make promises of unifying our divided nation yet rather than finding common ground, the public bifurcation continues to intensify.

From Los Angeles Times

The foreign secretary has dismissed his previous criticism of Donald Trump as "old news" and insisted he would be able to find "common ground" with the president-elect.

From BBC

Solutions going forward will be crafted with a wider range of voices; the council will need to hear each other out and find inclusive, common ground.

From Salon

“The fact that we had almost no common ground in our narratives between different kinds of political parties in this country about what happened is, ultimately, very disruptive,” Makari said.

From Salon