consensus
kuhn-SEN-suhs
/kənˈsensəs/
A general agreement reached by a group as a whole.
Consensus does not mean a unanimous vote where everyone is perfectly happy; it means a general agreement where everyone can live with the decision.
The story behind the word. Consensus comes from the Latin 'consentire', which combines 'con-' (together) and 'sentire' (to feel or think). It literally means 'feeling together'. When a group reaches a consensus, their minds and feelings are operating as a single, harmonious unit.
Word relationships
- agreement: Agreement can be between just two people, while consensus specifically refers to a collective agreement within a larger group.
- accord: Accord is a formal treaty or harmony, while consensus is the shared state of mind of a group.
- disagreement: Disagreement is a lack of consensus, where opinions are divided.
- discord: Discord is active conflict or harsh disagreement within a group.
Commonly confused with
- census: A census is an official count of a population, while a consensus is a general agreement.
Word family
- consensual (adjective): Existing or made by mutual consent.
Collocations
- reach a consensus
- general consensus
- build consensus
Example sentences
- "There is a broad scientific consensus that human activity is driving global climate change." A scientific community reaching a shared conclusion.
- "The board struggled to reach a consensus on which candidate to hire for the executive position." A business meeting trying to make a group decision.
Memory hook
Think of 'common senses'—when everyone's senses are aligned, you have a consensus. Consensus = Feeling together as a group.
When not to use
Do not say 'consensus of opinion' as it is technically redundant (consensus already means agreement of opinion).
Fun facts
- In medical terminology, a 'consensual pupillary reflex' is when one eye's pupil constricts when light is shone into the other eye—literally 'feeling together'.
Explore more words
Also appears in
- Leadership → Collaboration & Teamwork
- Leadership → Decision Making & Decisiveness
- Leadership → Conflict Resolution
- Leadership → Negotiation & Compromise
- Relationships → Peer Pressure & Conformity
- Conflict → Compromise & Concession
- Economic Theory & Analysis → Cryptoeconomics
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → International Environmental Accords
- Work & Office Life → Meetings & Conferences
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.