Consensus

Broad agreement reached or recognized within a group.

Reach for it when naming a shared position while preserving the existence of dissent

The workshop reached consensus on three priorities and recorded two reservations.

• everyday

  agreement

  people accept the same view or terms

  not when Agreement can involve only two parties and may be narrow or temporary.

• warm

  shared view

  participants hold a similar understanding

  not when A shared view may emerge informally without a decision process.

• professional

  broad support

  many members favor a proposal

  not when Support can be substantial without crossing the group's consensus rule.

• professional

  general agreement

  plain wording should show that support is broad

  not when General agreement is accurate but gives no clue how it was reached.

• formal

  common accord

  shared acceptance suits ceremonial or diplomatic prose

  not when Common accord sounds elevated and may suggest stronger harmony than exists.

• formal

  unanimity

  every participant agrees

  not when Unanimity is stricter than consensus, and silence cannot establish it.

• literary

  convergence

  different positions move closer over time

  not when Convergence can stop short of actual agreement.

• dissent
• deadlock
• division

• reach consensus

  The panel could not reach consensus until the cost assumptions were shared.

• broad consensus

  A broad consensus supported the route, though one neighborhood objected.

• consensus on

  There was consensus on the goal but not the schedule.

• consensus among

  Consensus among the reviewers emerged after the raw figures were shared.

• consensus view

  The consensus view preserved one written reservation.

Consensus is not necessarily unanimity. State the decision rule and record material dissent when the distinction matters.