common cause

Idioms  

1. A joint interest, as in “The common cause against the enemies of piety” (from John Dryden's poem, Religio laici, or a Layman's Faith, 1682). This term originated as to make common cause (with), meaning “to unite one's interest with another's.” In the mid-1900s the name Common Cause was adopted by a liberal lobbying group.

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Example Sentences

Exercising some muscles while ignoring others is a common cause of injury, and any trainer worth their salt will advise fitness enthusiasts to balance their routine.

From Salon • May 8, 2026

While viral infections are the most common cause in the United States, bacteria, parasites and fungi can also cause the condition.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

“The sticking point was always the Strategic Defense Initiative, which Reagan thinks is essential and Gorbachev thinks is a deal-breaker in their common cause of eliminating nuclear weapons,” Wilson says.

From Slate • Feb. 2, 2026

"I'm forging a new relationship with Canada. We've got a new leader, we've got a new prime minister... and we seem to have common cause on trying to get a new pipeline built," she said.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

It’s the story of three regiments of aviators, only three out of a thousand aviation units fighting for a common cause.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein