as in party line
opinions or beliefs that are held or accepted by most people
Conventional wisdom in Hollywood says that a movie can't succeed unless it stars a famous actor or actress.
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Recent Examples of conventional wisdom
The conventional wisdom that his résumé—a state assemblyman for five years, a democratic socialist, a vocal critic of Israel—represented a list of liabilities seemed to wilt in the presence of the man himself.
—
Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 1 Jan. 2026
This prediction goes against conventional wisdom, but then again, conventional wisdom doesn’t seem to apply to these Panthers.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Dec. 2025
Remember, while the conventional wisdom supports a refinance to a rate a full percentage point lower, even one half a percentage point lower may often offer enough savings to justify making a move.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
At that point Sunday night, conventional wisdom might have suggested a couple of handoffs to calm things down.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conventional wisdom
Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 1 Jan. 2026
This prediction goes against conventional wisdom, but then again, conventional wisdom doesn’t seem to apply to these Panthers.
—Charlotte Observer, 21 Dec. 2025
Remember, while the conventional wisdom supports a refinance to a rate a full percentage point lower, even one half a percentage point lower may often offer enough savings to justify making a move.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
At that point Sunday night, conventional wisdom might have suggested a couple of handoffs to calm things down.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for conventional wisdom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conventional wisdom
Noun
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In most cases, the effect is to flout any top-down insistence on reverence, a party line, or a unified myth.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
20 Jan. 2026
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Republicans are also mulling a potential second tax bill that could be passed with just party line votes while confronting the possibility of a potential partial government shutdown at the end of the month.—
Seung Min Kim,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Drug development depends on mechanism understanding and generalization under uncertainty.—
Lutz Finger,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
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Under California law, fraud must be pled with particularity, meaning there must be specifics and details in the complaint; generalizations, inferences and supposition don’t cut it.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The 1945 War Brides Act largely diverged from these previous measures, helping to dismantle the Asian exclusion made commonplace in the 19th and early 20th centuries.—
Anna Storti,
The Conversation,
8 Jan. 2026
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In the last year, after all, heartrending images like these have become part of the ordinary, the everyday, the commonplace.—
Leonard Pitts Jr,
Miami Herald,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Jordan's role on All My Children was originally played by the late Chadwick Boseman, who was fired after just one week on set after criticizing Reggie's character arc for playing into racial stereotypes (Jordan and Boseman would later go on to star together in 2018's Black Panther).—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Jan. 2026
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Boseman was allegedly let go after voicing his concerns that Reggie’s character relied too much on racial stereotypes.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Wellness clinics are increasingly emerging across the globe to help institute better sleep routines and methods for patients.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Pottery Barn Cozy Retreat Robe A soft robe is one of those gifts that makes everyday routines feel a little more indulgent.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Conventional wisdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conventional%20wisdom. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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