common sense
noun
sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.
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Common Sense
Common Sense(1776) A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that called for the United States to declare independence from Britain immediately. Written in a brisk and pungent style, Common Sense had a tremendous impact and helped to persuade many Americans that they could successfully wage a war for their independence.
common sense
American
[kom-uhn sens]
/ ˈkɒm ən ˈsɛns /
noun
common sense
British
noun
adjective
Common Sense
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of common sense
1525–35; translation of Latin sēnsus commūnis, itself translation of Greek koinḕ aísthēsis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“They are no longer good at reflection and critical thinking. A majority of 15-year-olds, when evidence and common sense collide, they go for common sense.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
Both of those companies would be stopped by common sense and consumer behavior, never mind government regulations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
Burnham said he had applied "common sense" on the treatment of IPPs, which he had "long-standing concerns" about.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
"This process is very unusual -- it goes against every bit of common sense in the field," said Talapin.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
Although many poor African Americans rejected the philosophies, tactics, and strategies of the black elite, ultimately moral uplift ideology became the new common sense.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
A 2025 study by Common Sense Media found nearly three in four American teenagers had used AI companions designed for personal conversations like those available on the platforms Character.AI,
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
They left behind more than 40 loaded cannons, provisions and “some of that scoundrel Common Sense man’s letters, which we can read at our leisure.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Common Sense Coalition is a project of the Bay Area Council, a local business group that features members such as the Western States Petroleum Assn.,
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 1, 2026
Paul Sullivan, national vice chair of Veterans for Common Sense, says the right strategy centers on trust between veterans and the VA.
From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2026
I finished reading Common Sense the night before the ball.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
