conventional wisdom

noun

Synonyms of conventional wisdomnext
: the generally accepted belief, opinion, judgment, or prediction about a particular matter

Examples of conventional wisdom in a Sentence

Conventional wisdom in Hollywood says that a movie can't succeed unless it stars a famous actor or actress.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
These are but a few examples of conventional wisdom that for centuries were widely accepted as irrefutable truth. Larry D. Urish, Oc Register, 30 Jan. 2026 The entrepreneurs making real money aren't following conventional wisdom. Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026 To Reed and other political professionals, the answer seemed rooted, in part, in Obama’s willingness to ignore conventional wisdom about how campaigns ought to be run. Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026 But available empirical evidence demonstrates that this conventional wisdom is wrong. Gregory D. Squires, Baltimore Sun, 25 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conventional wisdom

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of conventional wisdom was in 1838

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Cite this Entry

“Conventional wisdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conventional%20wisdom. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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