common good

American  

noun

• common goods
  plural

1. the advantage or benefit of all people in society or in a group.

   In spite of our differences, we shall work for the common good.

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common good British  

noun

1. the part of the property of a Scottish burgh, in the form of land or funds, that is at the disposal of the community

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• common goods
  plural

Etymology

Origin of common good

First recorded in 1350–1400

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

common good

We demonstrated that a team built on good people — supportive people, people who hold values and principles that prioritize the common good over individual interests.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

He was a leading figure of the “Young England” movement that advocated for patricians to uphold a common good against business or political interests.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

Leo condemned "a deadly mix of obscure interests and indifference toward the common good, which has poisoned the natural and social environment".

From Barron's ● May 23, 2026

But his morality is not guided by ethics, humanism or respect for the common good.

From Salon ● Mar. 10, 2026

To this day, for Indigenous peoples the land and its resources are “home” and exist for the common good of the people who share it.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz