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.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
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.”
Opposites
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.”
How to Use Common Sense
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
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.