conventional wisdom
Use Conventional wisdom in a sentenceconventional wisdom
noun
something that is generally believed; prudence.
Origin:
‡ 1965–70
‡ 1965–70
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To conventional wisdom
Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon
| Main Entry: | conventional wisdom |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | the ideas, opinions, or understanding that are considered to be generally accepted by the public |
| Example: | See how many of these sayings you can complete to test your conventional wisdom. |
00:10
Conventional wisdom
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
conventional wisdom
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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Contrary to increasingly popular conventional wisdom, effective development aid isn't impossible.
First, the notion that government is fundamentally inefficient and unproductive has become conventional wisdom.
Conventional wisdom holds you're born with perfect pitch or you're not.
The stakes are now too high merely to show the injustice of the conventional wisdom.
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