common sense
noun
: sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts
So far, I've had the common sense not to tweet anything ghastly.—
James Poniewozik
James PoniewozikThe poker player learns that sometimes both science and common sense are wrong. There is such a thing as absolute premonition of cards, a rock bottom surety of what will happen next.—David Mamet
David MametWith tsunamis, it may seem only common sense to Earth scientists to run away from (and not toward) the water when the sea is drawn rapidly down and away from the beach as a tsunami approaches. But that response is counterintuitive for most people.—Thomas C. Pierson
Thomas C. Pierson
Examples of common sense in a Sentence
You really should go to see a doctor if your leg hurts that much. It's just common sense!
Obey the laws and use common sense when operating your boat.
She's very smart but she doesn't have a lot of common sense.
Recent Examples on the Web
Cat's lack of understanding (and common sense) is the jumping-off point for a ton of jokes, but also serves as a great vehicle for exposition, as the other boys from the Dwarf explain events to the loveable fool.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Trump has called its safeguards common sense.
—Julie Carr Smyth, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Yet such blanket statements defy common sense.
—Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2026
Quotas, speech codes and identity politics now mocked as woke and un-American, often defied common sense.
—Maurice O'Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
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Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Trump has called its safeguards common sense.
—Julie Carr Smyth, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Yet such blanket statements defy common sense.
—Peter Jensen, Baltimore Sun, 12 Mar. 2026
Quotas, speech codes and identity politics now mocked as woke and un-American, often defied common sense.
—Maurice O'Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for common sense
Cite this Entry
“Common sense.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/common%20sense. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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