conventional wisdom

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 For years its axis had been shifting away from Europe and the West to encompass the growing numbers of Catholics in Africa and Asia… The conventional wisdom had always been that the cardinals would not choose an American pope. Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 14 Mar. 2026 That may become increasingly common going forward, as conventional wisdom on the essentiality of coaching continuity—and the fear of roster attrition—has been recast by the yearly churn every team now faces in the transfer portal era. Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 12 Mar. 2026 The conventional wisdom had been that Cornyn would be a gimme for the GOP while Paxton and his baggage—the Republicans in the state legislature impeached him—would be a drag, especially if Talarico emerged. Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Mar. 2026 Church’s description of increasing emotional waves, arriving without warning years after the loss, suggests the process is far less predictable than conventional wisdom suggests. Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conventional wisdom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conventional wisdom
Noun
  • The Nassau County executive, who has no serious opposition in the GOP primary for governor, was denied funding by the state Campaign Finance Board by a 4-3 party line vote because his running mate failed to file required paperwork.
    Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Loktev describes how that stigmatization was part of a Kremlin effort to discredit any reporters who strayed outside the party line.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The primary limitation lies in generalization, the ability of robots to perform reliably across diverse, unpredictable environments.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Meanwhile, recent advancements in multimodal AI (models that can process multiple types of information, like visual and audio at once) are improving robots’ generalization capabilities for everyday tasks.
    Eric Schmidt, Time, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.
    Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • But little things can turn the commonplace into tragedy.
    Dave Duffey, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The character, played by Esteban Andres Cruz, has been reduced to a simpering stereotype who makes a pass at a cop and mimics a blow job.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 2 Apr. 2026
  • That’s the biggest stereotype, but not all of them are going to be like that.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The rising cost of fuel is forcing some residents to change their daily routines.
    Austin Carter, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Recent personal updates might ripple through your routines, rooms, and family expectations, making all sorts of waves along the way.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conventional wisdom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conventional%20wisdom. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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