conventional wisdom

American  

noun

1. something that is generally believed; prudence.

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conventional wisdom Idioms  

1. A widely held belief on which most people act. For example, According to conventional wisdom, an incumbent nearly always wins more votes than a new candidate. This term was invented by John Kenneth Galbraith, who used it in The Affluent Society (1958) to describe economic ideas that are familiar, predictable, and therefore accepted by the general public. Today it is used in any context where public opinion has considerable influence on the course of events.

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Etymology

Origin of conventional wisdom

Probably earlier than 1965–70

Example Sentences

Nonetheless, their estimates serve as a useful read on Wall Street’s conventional wisdom about a company.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

Trump is a political survivor who has demonstrated a remarkable ability to confound conventional wisdom.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

Against the conventional wisdom that civil rights were fundamentally different from political rights, Black Americans insisted that both were vital to make real America’s most cherished constitutional ideals.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

The conventional wisdom is that it’s safer than a password and more secure than credit cards.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

But the conventional wisdom is not quite right.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times