conventional wisdom

noun

Definition of conventional wisdomnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conventional wisdom The august speakers included an Oxford don, a Harvard strategy professor, a New York Times reporter, and … me, the lone representative for the young and technologically adept, unencumbered by conventional wisdom. — Jeff Degraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 Unique cases like Rachel show that Mother Nature can always go against conventional wisdom, and, given enough time and the right conditions, potentially destructive things can happen. — Nicholas Grondin, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 In election after election, conventional wisdom holds that the economy is the most important issue for American voters. — Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2026 An American had never been pope, and the prevailing conventional wisdom was that one never would be elected. — Scott Detrow, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conventional wisdom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conventional wisdom
  1. party line
  2. generalization
  3. commonplace
  4. stereotype
  5. routine
Noun
  • Journalists who failed to tow the Kremlin party line were forced to declare themselves as foreign agents as part of a pressure campaign that ramped up dramatically ahead of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Even if Republicans do come out in droves on Election Day, there’s no way of knowing how many will vote the party line.
    — Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of party line
Noun
  • This makes generalization and AGI key concepts when reasoning about the speed of progress.
    — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The same can be demonstrated for generalizations of square grids in high dimensions.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of generalization
Noun
  • Inspired by Marcel Duchamp and his poetry of the everyday, Rauschenberg and Johns used commonplace objects—a flashlight, a bedspread—in their creations.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Marshall responded by characterizing the practice as commonplace among area hospitals.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of commonplace
Noun
  • In Liu’s view, the pirate leader defies nearly every stereotype historically placed on Asian women in storytelling.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The artist’s best work, in a new retrospective at the Whitney Museum, directs his campy humor at gender stereotypes.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of stereotype
Noun
  • Slow beauty is the trend reshaping how younger shoppers buy skincare in 2026, swapping the 10-step routine for fewer products and more deliberate rituals.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Combined with its intelligent cleaning modes, this allows the K70 to adapt its cleaning routine to different maintenance requirements.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of routine

Browse Nearby Words

conventionally
conventional wisdom
conventional wisdoms
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Cite this Entry

“Conventional wisdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conventional%20wisdom. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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