common sense

American  

[kom-uhn sens] / ˈkɒm ən ˈsɛns /

noun

1. sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.

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common sense British  

noun

1. plain ordinary good judgment; sound practical sense

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adjective

1. inspired by or displaying sound practical sense

Common Sense Cultural  

1. (1776) A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that called for the United States to declare independence from Britain immediately. Written in a brisk and pungent style, Common Sense had a tremendous impact and helped to persuade many Americans that they could successfully wage a war for their independence.

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Other Word Forms

• common-sense adjective
• commonsense adjective
• commonsensible adjective
• commonsensibly adverb
• commonsensical adjective
• commonsensically adverb

Etymology

Origin of common sense

1525–35; translation of Latin sēnsus commūnis, itself translation of Greek koinḕ aísthēsis

Example Sentences

In “Walden,” he found constant wonder in the obvious; in “Civil Disobedience,” he mined moral profundity out of common sense.

From The Wall Street Journal

And an underdog who stayed in the contest in defiance of steep odds and, seemingly, common sense.

From Los Angeles Times

It goes against international law and common sense.

From Salon

They added they trusted their audience to use "common sense" but indicated the videos were fake in their captions.

From BBC

“But he was kind of one of the lighthouses of integrity and common sense and spoke truth to power, but also got the powers to speak to one another.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• acumen
• good sense
• insight
• intelligence
• judgment
• logic
• practicality
• prudence
• rationality
• sense
• sound judgment
• wisdom
• wit