common
common — noun
1. a grassy piece of land, typically found close to a town or village, that anyone
a grassy piece of land, typically found close to a town or village, that anyone in the public may use freely.
Villagers have grazed their sheep on the common for centuries.
collocation: on the common
The children ran across the common to reach the playground on the far side.
concrete scene: children playing
Local residents protested when the council tried to sell part of the common.
typical context: public land protection
A footpath across the common connects the old church to the village school.
- on the common
- across the common
- village common
- common land
Usage Note
Often capitalized in place names, e.g. Clapham Common. Frequently preceded by 'the'.
2. a quality, interest, or experience that is shared by two or more people or thing
a quality, interest, or experience that is shared by two or more people or things, used especially in the phrase 'have something in common' to say that people are alike in a particular way.
Shirin and Antonia learned they had much in common during their first week at university.
pattern: have much in common
The two languages have very little in common despite being spoken in neighbouring countries.
pattern: have very little in common
Élise and her grandfather have one thing in common: a deep love of jazz music.
pattern: have one thing in common
Gabriel felt he had nothing in common with the other students in his dormitory.
pattern: have nothing in common with
Brandon and his best friend share many interests in common, from hiking to cooking.
variant: share interests in common
- have something in common
- have a lot in common
- have nothing in common
- in common with
Grammar Patterns
have something in common
have a lot / nothing / little in common
Usage Note
Frequently used with quantifiers: a lot, nothing, little, much, one thing. The preposition 'with' introduces the person or group being compared.
3. used to introduce a similarity or shared quality between someone or something an
used to introduce a similarity or shared quality between someone or something and another person or thing; meaning the same way or position as.
In common with many small shops, the bakery struggled to compete with large supermarket chains.
pattern: in common with many + noun
Reuben, in common with most of his classmates, found the final exam surprisingly difficult.
This charity, in common with other non-profit groups, faces the same funding problems.
Nkechi, in common with her sister, chose to study medicine at a university in Ghana.
pattern: person, in common with, shares trait
- in common with many
- in common with most
- in common with other
- like
simpler and more common in everyday speech
- similarly to
more formal, used in academic or professional writing
Grammar Patterns
in common with + noun phrase
Usage Note
This phrase always introduces a similarity that the subject shares with another group or person. It typically appears at the beginning of a sentence or directly after the subject. Distinguish from sense 2: 'in common with' compares two entities, while 'have something in common' states that a shared quality exists.
common — adjective
1. happening often; found in many places or in large numbers among people or in nat
happening often; found in many places or in large numbers among people or in nature.
This type of bird is common in parks across northern Europe.
common in [place] — used with a location to show where something is often found
Brooke says headaches are common among people who sit at a computer all day.
common problem + among [group]
It is common for young children to feel nervous on their first day of school.
It is common for [someone] to [verb]
Vinícius met with his team to discuss the most common customer complaints this month.
Smartphones have become common even in very remote parts of the world.
- common in
- common among
- common for
- common problem
- common practice
- common sight
- widespread
emphasises geographic or demographic range more than frequency
- frequent
focuses on how often something happens, not how many places it appears
- prevalent
more formal; used in academic or medical writing
Usage Note
Often used with in, among, or for to specify the group, place, or situation where something is widespread.
Common Mistakes
2. the simplest standard of polite conduct that people rightly anticipate from one
the simplest standard of polite conduct that people rightly anticipate from one another in ordinary social settings.
Selim showed common courtesy by holding the door for the woman behind him.
common courtesy + by [gerund] — shows the polite action
It is common courtesy to thank the host after a dinner party.
It is common courtesy to [verb]
The manager said common courtesy costs nothing but makes a big difference in the office.
Tariro's mother taught her that common courtesy means listening carefully when others speak.
Even a simple good morning is common courtesy that builds a friendly atmosphere.
- common courtesy
- show common courtesy
- common courtesy to
- basic common courtesy
- politeness
broader; refers to any polite behaviour, not just the basic expected level
- decency
overlaps with courtesy but emphasises moral standards of behaviour
- rudeness
behaviour that ignores basic social expectations
Usage Note
Almost always used in the fixed phrase common courtesy. Cannot be shortened to just courtesy in this sense — courtesy alone is a broader concept.
Common Mistakes
3. a fact or piece of information that everyone in a particular group or community
a fact or piece of information that everyone in a particular group or community knows and accepts as true.
It is common knowledge among scientists that the Earth's climate is warming.
common knowledge + that-clause — the typical pattern for stating what everyone knows
Indra discovered it was common knowledge at the company that the factory would close.
It was common knowledge in the fishing village that the old lighthouse had a hidden room.
The fact that water freezes at zero degrees Celsius is common knowledge around the world.
Daichi assumed the story was common knowledge, but no one had heard it.
- common knowledge
- common knowledge that
- common knowledge among
- it is common knowledge
- well-known fact
less formal; can apply to a single person's situation
- public knowledge
stresses that nothing is secret; used in news and official contexts
Usage Note
Typically used in the fixed phrase common knowledge followed by that-clause or among [group]. Often used to introduce information the speaker expects the listener already knows.
Common Mistakes
4. an idea or opinion that is widely held by many people, even if it may not be com
an idea or opinion that is widely held by many people, even if it may not be completely accurate.
There is a common belief that eating carrots gives you better night vision.
common belief + that-clause — the typical structure for stating a widely held opinion
Vivek questioned the common belief that older workers are slower to learn new skills.
Contrary to common belief, not all snakes are dangerous to humans.
The common belief among students was that the exam was harder than last year's.
Henrik's research challenged a common belief about how children learn to read.
- common belief
- common belief that
- common belief among
- contrary to common belief
- widespread belief
same meaning but slightly more formal
- conventional wisdom
the generally accepted view, often used when it is about to be challenged
- popular opinion
refers more to what most people currently think, not necessarily deep-rooted
- minority view
an opinion held by few people
Usage Note
Distinguish from common knowledge (Sense 3): common knowledge refers to accepted facts or information, while common belief refers to opinions or ideas that may be disputed. Often used with the phrase contrary to common belief.
Common Mistakes
5. held or used jointly by several people, groups, or other entities, so that all o
held or used jointly by several people, groups, or other entities, so that all of them share equal access or possess the same connection to it.
The two countries share a common border that stretches for over five hundred miles.
common + noun — common border, common interest, common trait
Paul and Justin discovered they had a common interest in repairing old motorcycles.
The apartment building has a common garden where all the residents can sit and relax.
A love of reading was a common trait among the members of the book club.
The neighbours set up a common fund for a security camera in the hallway.
- common border
- common interest
- common trait
- common characteristic
- common feature
- common resource
- individual
belonging to only one person
- separate
not connected or shared
Usage Note
Common in this sense appears before a noun (common border, common interest, common trait). It describes something that multiple people or things jointly own, use, or possess as a shared attribute. Do not confuse with Sense 6 (COMMON GOOD), which is about benefiting the whole community, or with Sense 7 (JOINT EFFORT), which describes active collaboration rather than shared possession.
Common Mistakes
6. relating to the benefit of an entire community or society rather than just a few
relating to the benefit of an entire community or society rather than just a few individuals.
The public park was built for the common good, giving everyone a place to play.
for the common good — fixed phrase for community-wide benefit
Henrik ran for the school board because he wanted to work for the common good.
Taxes are often explained as money collected for the common good of all citizens.
The scientist shared her research findings openly for the common good rather than patenting them.
Community leaders met to discuss how to balance business profits with the common good.
- the common good
- for the common good
- work for the common good
- serve the common good
- public interest
more formal; often used in legal and political contexts
- collective welfare
formal; emphasises the well-being of the group
- self-interest
focus on one's own advantage rather than the community's
Usage Note
Almost exclusively used in the fixed phrase the common good, often after for. The noun following common is always good — do not substitute another word.
Common Mistakes
7. involving the combined actions of two or more people or groups who actively coop
involving the combined actions of two or more people or groups who actively cooperate and pool their resources to achieve a shared result together.
Sayaka and Tamar combined their savings for a common project: opening a small library.
common + project (collaborative initiative)
Three local schools launched a common programme to share music teachers and instruments.
common + programme (shared operational plan)
The neighbourhood organised a common effort to clear fallen trees after the storm.
common + effort (collective action)
The two political parties formed a common front to demand better housing policies.
common + front (strategic alliance)
Adaeze and Hari submitted a common application for the research grant together.
- common effort
- common project
- common initiative
- common front
- common programme
- common cause
- joint
focuses on the cooperative nature of the action (joint effort, joint venture)
- collective
more formal, emphasises the group as a unit (collective decision, collective action)
- cooperative
highlights the willingness to work together (cooperative project)
- individual
done by one person alone, not a group
- solo
undertaken alone without help from others
Grammar Patterns
common + noun (goal/purpose/aim/interest/ground)
Usage Note
This sense emphasises active cooperation and combined effort toward a shared outcome, rather than simply describing something that two or more people happen to possess. Typical nouns include 'effort', 'project', 'initiative', 'programme', 'front', and 'cause'. Distinguish from Sense 5 (SHARED POSSESSION): Sense 5 describes a thing or quality that multiple people own or experience together; this sense describes people working together to achieve something.
Common Mistakes
8. old-fashioned; lacking good manners, taste, or education, in a way that was once
old-fashioned; lacking good manners, taste, or education, in a way that was once seen as typical of people from a lower rank in society.
Grandmother scolded Felipe for using such common language at the dinner table.
common + language (pejorative, old-fashioned use)
The landlord considered their loud music and late-night parties to be dreadfully common.
predicative: be + common
In those days, eating with your knife was thought to be a common habit.
Élise's aunt found the bright plastic decorations rather common and refused to display them.
The novel's characters were dismissed by critics as crude and common types.
- common language
- common manners
- common behaviour
- common taste
- common habit
- common type
Grammar Patterns
common + noun (manners/language/behaviour)
be + common
Usage Note
This sense is now considered old-fashioned and may carry a strongly negative or insulting tone. Used especially in British English to criticise someone's manners, taste, behaviour, or appearance. Avoid using this sense in neutral or formal writing — choose alternatives such as 'vulgar', 'coarse', or 'uncouth' instead.
Common Mistakes
9. not special, unusual, or interesting in any way; plain and ordinary.
not special, unusual, or interesting in any way; plain and ordinary.
The hotel room was clean but the furniture was quite common.
predicative: be + common (meaning plain/ordinary)
Christopher wore a plain blue jacket that looked common next to the designer suits.
It was just a common cold, nothing serious enough to see a doctor.
common + cold (fixed phrase for a mild illness)
Folake preferred simple, common fabrics over expensive silks and satins.
The recipe uses common ingredients that you can find at any local shop.
- common cold
- common ingredient
- common fabric
- common furniture
- common dish
- unusual
not typical or ordinary
- special
having qualities that make something stand out
- remarkable
worth noticing because of unusual qualities
Grammar Patterns
common + noun
be + common
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1 (USUAL): sense 1 means 'happening often or existing in many places', while sense 9 means 'not special or remarkable'. A common cold is common in both senses — it happens often (sense 1) and is an ordinary illness (sense 9) — but for most nouns only one meaning fits.
Common Mistakes
Something that everyone in a group or community knows.
The fact that they are dating is common knowledge at school.
Is it public knowledge that the company is planning to move?
common or garden
idiomVery ordinary and not special in any way.
It's just a common or garden laptop, nothing fancy.
Maya wore a common or garden dress to the party.
the common touch
idiomThe ability of a famous or powerful person to connect with ordinary people.
The mayor has the common touch and everyone likes him.
Despite her fame, the singer keeps the common touch with fans.
To join together with someone to achieve a shared goal.
The two parties made common cause to pass the new law.
Sara made common cause with her neighbors to clean the park.
Word family
- commonlyadverbB1
- uncommonadjectiveB1
- commonnessnounC1
- commonplaceadjectiveB2
- commonplacenounC1
- commonwealthnounB2
- commonernounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
COMMON is the broadest of these words, covering anything that happens often, appears in many places, or is shared by a group. ORDINARY means "not special or remarkable" — a common flower (found in many places) may still be beautiful, while an ordinary flower is plain and unremarkable. USUAL focuses on what happens most of the time in a particular situation, e.g. "the usual route to work". WIDESPREAD emphasises geographic or demographic range rather than frequency, and is more formal. MUTUAL applies specifically to reciprocal feelings or actions between two people, e.g. "mutual respect" — it is narrower than COMMON. Use common for general frequency or shared traits; use ordinary to contrast with the special; use usual for habitual routines; use widespread for large-scale distribution; use mutual only when the relationship goes both ways.
Common collocations
Nouns
- common sense
- common ground
- common practice
- common knowledge
- common good
- common interest
- common goal
- common law
- common mistake
- common cold
Adverbs
- most common
- very common
- fairly common
- increasingly common
- relatively common
Phrases
- have something in common
- common courtesy
- common belief
- common understanding
- for the common good
Prepositions
- in common
- common among
- common to
- common in
- common with
Etymology
From Latin "communis", meaning "shared by many or all", formed from "com-" (together) and "munis" (ready to serve).