conventional wisdom

noun

: the generally accepted belief, opinion, judgment, or prediction about a particular matter

Examples of conventional wisdom in a Sentence

Conventional wisdom in Hollywood says that a movie can't succeed unless it stars a famous actor or actress.

Recent Examples on the Web

The second is that, by giving Sean Penn its trophy, BAFTA dispelled a major piece of conventional wisdom, which held that Penn and co-star Benicio del Toro would continue to split votes at the bigger awards bodies. —Nate Jones, Vulture, 27 Feb. 2026

So, will the Chargers select an offensive lineman with their first-round pick, as the conventional wisdom would suggest? —Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 23 Feb. 2026

But is that conventional wisdom true? —Regina G. Barber, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026

How does this team succeed on a fast turnaround next year when conventional wisdom says the smart thing to do is take your medicine (cap-wise) this year and focus on a full reworked roster to match new schemes for 2027? —Tim Graham, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for conventional wisdom

• unwisdom