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

I do wonder if one way of finding common ground will be a renewed focus on the idea of "place".

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Breyer, in an interview, declined to comment on the court’s current dynamics, but said that throughout his career he always tried to find common ground with people who disagreed with him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 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

She says there are many issues most politicians can find "common ground" on, but the public do not see that work.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

He’d learned the hard way that if somebody was going to have your back in a fight, it was better if you found some common ground and trusted each other.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan