common sense
noun
sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.
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Common Sense
Common Sense(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.
common sense
American
[kom-uhn sens]
/ ˈkɒm ən ˈsɛns /
noun
common sense
British
noun
adjective
Common Sense
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of common sense
1525–35; translation of Latin sēnsus commūnis, itself translation of Greek koinḕ aísthēsis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Because it incorporates common sense into its systematic approach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
“It is not the only fix we need, but it is the most common sense fix,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
"Although the whole process was somewhat challenging... everyone with common sense says the Turkish capital markets will be much healthier," he said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2026
“That’s just common sense and most Americans agree with me,” Vo said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Although many poor African Americans rejected the philosophies, tactics, and strategies of the black elite, ultimately moral uplift ideology became the new common sense.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The Youth AI Safety Institute, part of the nonprofit Common Sense Media, called on the artificial-intelligence lab to restrict usage of ChatGPT to people over the age of 18 until it can improve the guardrails.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
However, research released the same day from non-profit Common Sense Media found that ChatGPT still poses an "unacceptable risk" for teens as safety features, including notifying parents of self-harm conversations, often fail.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
“Our review of Common Sense Media’s methodology shows that the bulk of their testing may have begun and concluded before activation of parental controls was complete, making their findings inaccurate.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
ChatGPT’s guardrails for underage users fall short of OpenAI’s commitments to child safety, according to a report from the AI arm of the nonprofit group Common Sense Media.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
I pulled out Common Sense from its hiding place and read by firelight.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
