conventional wisdom — commonly accepted belief or opinion
the generally accepted view or belief about something, especially one that many people accept without questioning, even if it might not be true
Say it like a native
Textbook The prevailing orthodoxy holds that breakfast is essential.
Native Conventional wisdom says breakfast is essential.
'Prevailing orthodoxy' is academic; 'conventional wisdom says...' is the readable version.
Pattern: conventional wisdom (is/holds/suggests that) + clause
In use
- Conventional wisdom says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but recent studies suggest otherwise.society
- While conventional wisdom holds that older workers are less adaptable to new technology, my experience suggests the opposite is often true.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ The conventional wisdoms say it's risky.
✓ Conventional wisdom says it's risky.
Uncountable, no plural; usually no 'the' at the front of the phrase.
Common collocations
conventional wisdom— challenge, says, according to, defies
Don't confuse it
Unlike 'common sense', which refers to practical, everyday reasoning, 'conventional wisdom' refers to beliefs or ideas that are widely accepted, whether or not they are actually true or logical.