common sense is neither common nor sensical
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Many assumptions that people make through intuition, popular culture, or 'common sense' turn out to be incorrect.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
In fact, much of what we call common sense is neither common, nor sensical. We use the hindsight bias to pretend facts which come to us were apparent all along. As a result we rob ourselves of the strangeness that lies ahead.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “common sense is neither common nor sensical” mean?
Many assumptions that people make through intuition, popular culture, or 'common sense' turn out to be incorrect.
Is “common sense is neither common nor sensical” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.