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

Finding solid ground, not necessarily common ground, is the motivating mission of most space missions.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

Kennedy and some patient groups have found common ground, however, on one aspect of antidepressant use: side effects from stopping the drugs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Mahan took a different route, pledging to fight when necessary, but adding, “We need a partnership, and we need to find common ground with this administration on certain issues.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

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

A correct understanding of who the Japanese people really are, and how they diverged from the closely related Korean people, will be essential to finding that common ground.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond