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consensus

kuhn-SEN-suhs /kənˈsɛnsəs/

nounB2SATACTTOEFLIELTS

generalprofessionalpolitical

A general agreement among a group of people.

Does not necessarily mean a 100% unanimous vote, but rather a collective opinion or agreement that everyone in the group can live with and support.

The story behind the word. The word consensus is beautiful in its origin: it literally means 'to feel together.' It comes from the Latin con- (together) and sentire (to feel or perceive). It is the same root that gives us sentiment and sensory. When a group reaches a consensus, they are metaphorically vibrating on the same emotional and intellectual frequency.

Word relationships

agreement: 'Agreement' can be between just two people, whereas 'consensus' almost always refers to a broad agreement within a larger group.
unanimity: 'Unanimity' means absolute 100% agreement with no dissenters, whereas 'consensus' allows for some minor disagreements as long as the group supports the final path.

dissent: 'Dissent' is the expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously or commonly held.
discord: 'Discord' is disagreement between people or lack of harmony.

Commonly confused with

census: A 'census' is an official count of a population, while 'consensus' is a general agreement.

Word family

consensual (adjective): Existing or made by mutual consent.

Collocations

reach a consensus
general consensus
consensus of opinion

Idioms & expressions

on the same page
of one mind

Example sentences

"After hours of debate, the board finally reached a consensus on the new environmental policy." A board meeting trying to agree on a strategy.
"The scientific consensus is that carbon emissions are the primary driver of global climate change." A scientific community agreement.

Memory hook

Think of 'common sense' (con-sens). If everyone uses their common sense, they will reach a consensus. Consensus is common sensing.

When not to use

Do not use when referring to a decision made by a single leader or a simple majority vote where the minority is left completely unhappy.

Fun facts

A common spelling error is 'concensus.' Remember that it is spelled with an 's' in the middle because it is related to consent and sense, not census!