Phrase guide

common ground

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A characteristic or interest shared by multiple people or systems; any belief, etc. held in common.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, uncountable

Examples

  • The first thing to do is to find common ground with the person you just met.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see common, ground; especially, common land.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a basis agreed to by all parties for reaching a mutual understanding

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: footing, basis, ground

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: ortaq mövqe — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Azerbaijani: ortaq məxrəc — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Catalan: terreny comú — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Finnish: yhteinen pohja — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • French: terrain d’entente — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • French: points communs — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Hebrew: מכנה משותף (makhané m'shutáf) — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Italian: terreno d'intesa — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Italian: terreno comune — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Italian: punto d'incontro — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Polish: płaszczyzna porozumienia — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Portuguese: etendimento comum — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Portuguese: terreno comum — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Romanian: teren comun — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Romanian: numitor comun — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Spanish: comunaleza — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Spanish: comunalía — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Spanish: terreno común — commonly held beliefs or interests
  • Spanish: puntos en común — commonly held beliefs or interests