common sense

8 synonyms and 2 antonyms for common sense, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — Sound practical judgement about everyday matters, of the kind most people are expected to have without special training.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

practical

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

sensible

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

good sense practical judgement horse sense level-headedness prudence down-to-earth

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

Sound practical judgement about everyday matters, of the kind most people are expected to have without special training.

“It is just common sense to check the tyres before a long drive.”

good sense practical judgement horse sense level-headedness prudence

Opposites

foolishness impracticality

2. adjective

Based on ordinary practical judgement rather than theory or specialist knowledge. Usually written with a hyphen before a noun.

“The report ends with a few common-sense suggestions for cutting costs.”

practical sensible down-to-earth

How to use common sense

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

use your common sense a matter of common sense defies common sense common-sense approach

Neutral and very common in both speech and writing.

Etymology

A rendering of Latin sensus communis, originally the faculty that unites the impressions of the five senses; the modern meaning of ordinary practical judgement developed in English.

Full origin of common sense →

Frequently asked questions

Is common sense one word or two?

As a noun it is two words: "use your common sense". When it comes before a noun as a modifier it is normally hyphenated: "a common-sense approach". The single word "commonsense" is also accepted as an adjective, especially in American English.

What is the difference between common sense and intelligence?

Intelligence is the general capacity to learn, reason and solve problems, including abstract ones. Common sense is narrower and more practical: knowing what to do in ordinary situations. A highly intelligent person can lack common sense, and the reverse is just as possible.

Is common sense really common?

Not as reliably as the phrase suggests. What counts as obvious depends on experience and culture, so the same decision can look like plain common sense to one person and a bad idea to another.

People also searched

practical sensible prudence foolishness down-to-earth impracticality

Nearby words

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