common ground

American  

noun

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

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common ground British  

noun

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

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common ground Idioms  

1. 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]

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Etymology

Origin of common ground

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

common ground

That being said, we found a lot of common ground talking to people around Britain; reasonable folks dispirited by the problems they observe, but ready to navigate their way through them constructively.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

In short, Becket is where men and women representing a variety of strong religious beliefs find common ground without compromising their principles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

The U.S. and Iran are currently embroiled in peace talks as both countries try to find enough common ground to permanently end the war.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

It seemed like a minor victory for our civic fabric that Gerber could disagree with the president so fundamentally yet find common ground over footwear.

From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026

We were finding no common ground, and I was becoming convinced that the marriage was no longer tenable.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela