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

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have urged the two sides to find common ground.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Then the focus was not on division but on common ground and shared experiences.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

"A politician in Europe is someone who knows how to seek compromises, find common ground, understand the public mood, and adapt to it."

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

That comes from finding common ground, not from scare ads and nasty attacks.

From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2026

He’d rejected the thing that had bonded them, and it had been hard to find common ground after that.

From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook