consensus

Everyday

1. Agreement among all or most people in a group. tree →
2. (science) The general view of most experts after studying the evidence (the scientific consensus). tree →

In the lessons

In class discussions and school councils, a group may «reach a consensus» on a decision. In science lessons, the scientific consensus is that the Earth is warming because of human activity and that vaccines are safe and effective. In news, «there is no consensus» means people disagree. It tells the reader most people agree. Phrases: «reach a consensus», «general consensus», «build a consensus».

Examples

• The class reached a consensus to visit the zoo. tree →
• There is a strong scientific consensus about climate change. tree →
• After a long chat, the family came to a consensus on pizza. tree →
• The council could not reach a consensus. tree →
• A consensus does not always mean everyone agrees completely. tree →
• The general consensus was that the play was brilliant. tree →

Note

Spelled with an s in the middle: c-o-n-s-e-n-s-u-s (not «concensus»). «General consensus» is common but slightly repetitive. A consensus can still be wrong; in science it is based on evidence and can change with new evidence.