often attributive
1
a : general agreement : unanimity the consensus of their opinion, based on reports … from the border—John Hersey b : the judgment arrived at by most of those concerned the consensus was to go aheadIs the phrase
consensusof opinion redundant?: Usage Guide
The phrase consensus of opinion, which is not actually redundant (see sense 1a; the sense that takes the phrase is slightly older), has been so often claimed to be a redundancy that many writers avoid it. You are safe in using consensus alone when it is clear you mean consensus of opinion, and most writers in fact do so.
Examples of consensus in a Sentence Yet despite this and other dust-ups during the convention, the general consensus is that Episcopalians weathered this one with their customary civility intact. —Antonio Ramirez, Commonweal, 12 Sept. 1997 Despite years of debate over the best wine to serve at Thanksgiving, no real consensus has emerged. —Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 30 Nov. 1995 Beyond the general goal of sustainability, there was little consensus at the conference on how to get from here to there. —Constance Holden, Science, 6 July 1990 … it is the consensus of opinion that the Iceni in their geographic isolation remained 'Celtic' … —Antonia Fraser, The Warrior Queens, 1988 Everyone on the council seems to understand the need for consensus. There is a lack of consensus among the citizens. The decision was made by consensus. Recent Examples on the Web Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback. Paychex anticipates revenue growth of 16.5% to 18.5% for the upcoming year, which is slightly below market consensus. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 The overall debate lasted for more than an hour, but the trustees did not find consensus on either proposal. —Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025 China's commerce ministry said on June 27 the two countries have confirmed details on the framework of implementing the Geneva trade talks consensus. —David Lawder, USA Today, 28 June 2025 The consensus 12-month price target suggests the stock might rise another 3%. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for consensus Word HistoryEtymology
borrowed from Latin, "agreement, concord," from Latin consentīre "to join in feeling, be in agreement, concur in opinion" + -tus, suffix of action nouns — more at consent entry 1
First Known Use
1633, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Time Traveler
The first known use of consensus was in 1633 Cite this Entry“Consensus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consensus. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
More from Merriam-Webster on consensus Last Updated: 3 Jul 2025 - Updated example sentencesLove words? Need even more definitions?
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