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

"But I doubt they are anywhere close to creating enough common ground for a serious meeting or substantive talks," he cautioned.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

But on Iran we should be on common ground.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

And when you say finding common ground without giving ground …

From Slate • Mar. 4, 2026

There are signs though that the governments could find common ground.

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

My sister and I tried to find common ground with our half-American cousins, but that took a while to pan out.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi