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

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

He found common ground with the European Parliament’s top trade lawmaker, Bernd Lange, over a shared interest in motorcycles.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

"Leadership in the technology... will define the next decade of productivity and growth, so it's in everyone's interest that the two superpowers find common ground on sensible guardrails for AI."

From Barron's • May 13, 2026

"Where there is common ground, we will make every effort to find it," he said.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

Both of them wanted to speak but could find no common ground to bridge the abyss that separated them as father and son.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy