Is 'consensus' always unanimous?

No, consensus implies general agreement but may not be unanimous; it often involves compromise.

Can I use 'consensus' in informal conversations?

Yes, but it is more common in formal contexts. In informal settings, 'agreement' might be more natural.

What is the difference between 'consensus' and 'compromise'?

Consensus is the agreement itself, while compromise is the process of giving up something to reach agreement.

How do I use 'consensus' in a sentence?

Use it as a noun, e.g., 'The group reached a consensus on the issue.'

consensus

UK/kənˈsen.səs/US/kənˈsen.səs/

Formal, neutral

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

General agreement among a group of people.

The process or outcome of reaching collective agreement through discussion and compromise.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Implies collective decision without requiring unanimity; often associated with harmony and compromise.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in spelling or meaning; pronunciation is nearly identical.

Connotations

In both, it connotes harmony and collective decision-making; in American English, it might be slightly more prevalent in political discourse.

Frequency

Equally frequent in both variants, particularly in academic, business, and political contexts.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

reach a consensusbroad consensusgeneral consensus

medium

consensus buildingconsensus decisionemerging consensus

weak

consensus of opinionwidespread consensus

Grammar

Valency Patterns

consensus on [issue]consensus among [group]consensus that [clause]

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

unanimityconcordharmony

Neutral

agreementaccordconcurrence

Weak

consentassentconformity

Vocabulary

Antonyms

disagreementdiscordconflictdissension

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“by consensus”
“consensus of opinion”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Used to denote collective agreement in meetings, strategic planning, and decision-making processes.

Academic

Indicates general agreement among scholars or within a field of study.

Everyday

Applied in group discussions to find common ground on social plans or family decisions.

Technical

In computer science, refers to algorithms that achieve agreement in distributed systems, such as Paxos or Raft.

Examples

By CEFR Level

The family has a consensus on where to go.
We need a consensus to choose.

After discussion, we reached a consensus about the plan.
There is a consensus that the book is interesting.

The team achieved consensus on the new strategy.
A broad consensus exists among doctors on this treatment.

The conference aimed to build a consensus on climate change policies.
Academic consensus has evolved significantly regarding historical interpretations.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think of 'con-' meaning together and '-sensus' meaning sense, so a shared sense or agreement.

Conceptual Metaphor

Consensus is a bridge that connects differing viewpoints.

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Direct translation to 'консенсус' is correct but may sound overly formal in casual conversation.
Avoid redundant phrases like 'консенсус мнения' from 'consensus of opinion'.

Common Mistakes

Using 'consensus' as a verb, e.g., 'We consensused on the topic.'
Saying 'consensus of opinion', which is redundant.
Confusing 'consensus' with 'unanimous'.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

The committee finally a consensus after long debates.

Multiple Choice

What does 'consensus' primarily refer to?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, consensus implies general agreement but may not be unanimous; it often involves compromise.
: Yes, but it is more common in formal contexts. In informal settings, 'agreement' might be more natural.
: Consensus is the agreement itself, while compromise is the process of giving up something to reach agreement.
: Use it as a noun, e.g., 'The group reached a consensus on the issue.'