Meaning & use

consensus

noun·Academic

General agreement reached by a group after discussion.

See it in a sentence

After hours of debate, the committee finally reached a consensus on the new policy.

Scientists have reached a strong consensus that the treatment is safe and effective.

A note on using this word

"Consensus" already implies general agreement, so "general consensus" is often criticized as a redundant phrase.

Words with a similar meaning

agreementaccordunanimity

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “consensus”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.