CONVENTIONAL WISDOM Definition & Meaning

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conventional wisdom

noun

something that is generally believed; prudence.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of conventional wisdom¹

Probably earlier than 1965–70

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Idioms and Phrases

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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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Until very recently, such an action was deemed unimaginable by the “conventional wisdom.”

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The irony is that until last night's drama, conventional wisdom in political and diplomatic circles was that slowly but surely, the direction of travel was towards a deal to end the war.

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The embassy move showed Trump was prepared to break with conventional wisdom that he believed was an obstacle to US interests.

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Much of the conventional wisdom on counterterrorism, however, suggests that killing a terrorist leader — also known as decapitation strikes — is insufficient to defeat these groups over the long term.

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In many ways, “The Brutalist” flies in the face of the conventional wisdom of today’s industry.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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