conventional wisdom

noun

: 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.
With rollicking storytelling, tactical insights, and a determination to challenge conventional wisdom, Underdog Nation is a battle cry for professionals, entrepreneurs, and ambitious thinkers who refuse to be counted out. Forbes Press Releases, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 The limits of conventional wisdom The conventional wisdoms that gun violence is caused by either bad people or bad economic opportunities have produced no shortage of policy proposals. Jens Ludwig, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025 As a keynote speaker, Dr. Mayer challenges conventional wisdom about leadership, recasting it as an active, ongoing process. Hilary Tetenbaum, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025 The discovery ran contrary to the conventional wisdom—in at least some quarters—that AI models are merely sophisticated autocomplete machines that only predict the next word in a sequence. Billy Perrigo, Time, 27 Mar. 2025 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 24 Apr. 2025.

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