lowest common denominator

noun

1

: least common denominator

2

: something of small intellectual content designed to appeal to a lowbrow audience

also : such an audience

Examples of lowest common denominator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And so, with the new NBA season finally upon us, here is a preview of the lowest common denominator beefs that will be sure to dominate coverage this year. —Corbin Smith, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2023

Graham’s portrait of that time — illuminated vividly by director Jason Loewith and 13 splendid actors — pinpoints a moment when rough-and-ready newspaper journalism ceased to be gleeful, turning instead into a grim search for the lowest common denominator. —Peter Marks, Washington Post, 6 Sep. 2023

Unlike climate change mitigation, where success will be determined by the sum of all individual efforts, AI safety is determined by the lowest common denominator: a single breakout algorithm could cause untold damage. —Ian Bremmer and Mustafa Suleyman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Aug. 2023

One that aims squarely at the lowest common denominator? —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Aug. 2023

That’s the catch of going viral: The lowest common denominator will always prevail at the expense of innovation and individuality. —Umi Syam, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2023

In business, a company's reputation can often come down to the lowest common denominator, the actions of one specific individual, especially in small companies. —George Deeb, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2022

Yet both are so smart and complex in their own ways, refusing to talk down to its audience and pander to the lowest common denominator. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2023

But for that, the industry needs to change from chasing the lowest common denominator, fake scale, and cheap CPMs. —Isaac Mizrahi, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

lowest common denominator

noun

: least common denominator