mutual understanding

Meanings

1. 1phraseuncountable

   A situation in which two or more people each truly grasp the other's feelings, views, or intentions.

   Grammar: Usually uncountable and used with no article: there is mutual understanding between them.

   Patterns

   • mutual understanding between someone and someone
   • mutual understanding of something

   After a long talk, the two neighbors reached a mutual understanding about the shared fence.

   Good teamwork depends on mutual understanding rather than constant orders.

   There was a quiet mutual understanding between the sisters that neither would mention the argument.

2. 2phrasecountable

   An informal agreement, often unwritten, that both sides accept without needing to spell it out.

   Grammar: Often countable with an article: we have a mutual understanding that she drives on weekdays.

   Patterns

   • have a mutual understanding that something
   • come to a mutual understanding

   We have a mutual understanding that whoever cooks does not wash the dishes.

   The two companies worked on a mutual understanding long before any contract was signed.

   Their mutual understanding was that the loan would be repaid by spring.

Common combinations

reach a mutual understanding

The two teams reached a mutual understanding after the meeting.

build mutual understanding

Exchange programs help build mutual understanding between students from different countries.

a basis of mutual understanding

Their friendship rests on a basis of mutual understanding.

foster mutual understanding

Open conversation can foster mutual understanding at work.

promote mutual understanding

The festival aims to promote mutual understanding between neighbors.

Synonyms and how they differ

rapport

Rapport stresses a warm, easy connection between people, while mutual understanding stresses that each side really grasps the other's position.

accord

Accord is more formal and suggests settled agreement, whereas mutual understanding can be a quiet, unspoken awareness.

common ground

Common ground names the points two sides already share, not the act of grasping each other's perspective.

empathy

Empathy can run in one direction, while mutual understanding requires both sides to see each other.

Opposites

Word family

understand verb

to grasp the meaning or feelings of someone or something

understanding noun

comprehension, or an informal agreement

mutual adjective

felt or done by each toward the other

mutually adverb

in a way that applies to both sides

Commonly confused: mutual understanding or mutual agreement?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “mutual understanding”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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