a general notion that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a general notion that" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when introducing a broad idea or concept that is commonly accepted or understood. Example: "There is a general notion that exercise is beneficial for mental health."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

There is a general notion that the Fed has vast powers over the economy itself.

The New York Times - Magazine

"There's been a general notion that content won't work on the Internet — it's not a good business," Mr. Armstrong said.

The New York Times - Tech

"But there is a general notion that they want to accumulate influence, which will necessarily diminish U.S. power".

The New York Times

But tropism was only one part of a general notion that chemical and physical processes — automatic and, in humans, involuntary — determine the central movements of life.

The New Yorker

At the time of our interview, Prime Minister Ehud Barak had revived peace talks, and there was a general notion that the conflict with the Palestinians might soon end.

The New Yorker

There was, after all, a general notion that the company had flown too close to the sun on this one.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

A general notion is that the hunter-gatherer populations show signatures of constant population sizes, different from the exponential growth patterns in the Neolithic cultures.

Nature

We introduce a general notion of transport cost that encompasses many costs used in the literature (including the classical one and weak transport costs introduced by Talagrand and Marton in the 90's), and prove a Kantorovich type duality theorem.

Journal of Functional Analysis

However, some interpretations correspond to a more general notion, that of a "covering": a set X is a covering of a set Y just in case the sum of the elements of X is identical with the sum of the elements of Y.[16] Thus, with This livestock carried that furniture, it may be that some pieces of furniture were repeatedly part of the furniture carried by some of the livestock.

SEP

Actually, the theory of coalgebra studies a more general notion, that of bisimulation on a coalgebra for a given functor, defined first in Aczel and Mendler (1989).

SEP

A container is a general notion for an XML element that contains data.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a general notion that", ensure the notion you're referring to is genuinely widespread and not just your personal opinion. Provide evidence or context to support its generality.

Common error

Avoid using "a general notion that" to introduce a niche idea or a belief held by a small group. This can mislead readers into thinking the idea is more universally accepted than it is.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a general notion that" functions as an introductory phrase, setting the stage for a statement that represents a commonly held belief or understanding. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a valid and usable phrase. It introduces a widely accepted idea.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a general notion that" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase for introducing a widely held belief or understanding. While not extremely common, it appears across various contexts, including news, science, and business, as confirmed by Ludwig's AI analysis. When using this phrase, ensure the notion is indeed widespread to avoid misrepresenting its generality. Consider alternatives like "a common belief that" or "a widespread idea that" for nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a common belief that

This alternative replaces "notion" with "belief", emphasizing the aspect of widely held opinion.

a widespread idea that

This alternative uses "widespread idea" instead of "general notion", highlighting the prevalence of the idea.

a prevailing view that

This alternative substitutes "general notion" with "prevailing view", suggesting the dominant or current perspective.

a common understanding that

This alternative focuses on the shared comprehension of a concept.

a widely held assumption that

This alternative uses "assumption" to imply something taken for granted, rather than a fully formed belief.

a conventional wisdom that

This suggests the notion is part of established, accepted knowledge.

a popular perception that

Replaces "notion" with "perception", emphasizing how something is commonly viewed.

a widely accepted view that

This emphasizes the acceptance and broad endorsement of a particular viewpoint.

the general consensus that

Focuses on the agreement among people about a particular point.

a broad understanding that

Highlights the extent of the understanding, rather than the specific content.

FAQs

How can I use "a general notion that" in a sentence?

Use "a general notion that" to introduce a widely held belief or understanding. For example, "There's "a general notion that" healthy eating improves overall well-being".

What can I say instead of "a general notion that"?

You can use alternatives like "a common belief that", "a widespread idea that", or "a prevailing view that" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "a general notion that" or "the general consensus that"?

The choice depends on the context. "A general notion that" refers to a widespread belief, while "the general consensus that" implies a more formal agreement or widespread agreement among a group.

How formal is the phrase "a general notion that"?

"A general notion that" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, consider using alternatives like "a widely accepted view that" for added precision.