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

Fawad Razaqzada, a market analyst at Forex.com, said: "The fundamental issue remains trust — or rather, the lack of it — between two long-standing adversaries who still appear some distance from common ground."

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

"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

And when you say finding common ground without giving ground …

From Slate • Mar. 4, 2026

The two have found common ground on making New York City more affordable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 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