come to a shared understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "come to a shared understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the process of reaching a mutual agreement or comprehension between parties. Example: "After several hours of discussion, we were finally able to come to a shared understanding about the project's goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Can two people come to a shared understanding of fractured love?

The New York Times - Magazine

Choosing what to put into each release is a design and communication challenge the cross-functional team, including additional players from development and marketing, must come to a shared understanding of what to release.

Contextual Design Design for Life

Second, patients and clinicians need to come to a shared understanding of diabetes and management that can improve glucose control and quality of life.

Diabetes Care

They can be minimized for example by a group discussion prior to the elicitation to come to a shared understanding of the questions.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Over time, the global public health community will come to a shared understanding of what merits IHR reporting to WHO, and will build the IHR assessment into their routine detection and response activities.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Make sure that, where you have differences, you've talked those through and come to a shared understanding of areas of common ground you can agree on.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Taken together, these characteristics of the 'homegrown' scores and items on the handicap measure suggests that coming to a shared understanding about the meaning of these scores and how to rate their severity was more likely to require negotiation and discussion amongst team members.

BMC Health Services Research

As discussed below, this lengthy process was critical, as faculty members came to a shared insight about what deep conceptual understanding in biology means and the pedagogies that help students gain this understanding.

CBE Life Sciences Education

For now, though, I'm going to settle for my fortnightly book club, which I hope will develop into an opportunity for people passionate about novels to come together and develop a shared understanding of the text through dialogue.

The Guardian - Opinion

To bring the picture off there had to be a shared understanding.

The Guardian - Books

For more people to be involved in science, we have to create a shared understanding of what science is.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "come to a shared understanding", ensure all parties actively participate in the discussion to foster genuine comprehension, not just superficial agreement.

Common error

Avoid assuming that a shared understanding exists merely because an agreement is reached. Always confirm comprehension through open-ended questions and active listening to ensure everyone is truly on the same page.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "come to a shared understanding" functions as a verbal phrase indicating a process. It describes the action of different parties arriving at a mutual comprehension. Ludwig provides examples showing it used in contexts ranging from personal relationships to global health initiatives, illustrating its broad applicability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

32%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "come to a shared understanding" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe the process of reaching mutual comprehension or agreement. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides examples spanning diverse contexts, from interpersonal relationships to international collaborations. While suitable for various settings, it is most commonly found in news, science, and wiki contexts. For more formal situations, alternatives like "reach a mutual agreement" or "achieve a common understanding" may be preferred. A key writing tip is to actively confirm comprehension to avoid misunderstandings, ensuring all parties are truly aligned.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reach a mutual agreement

Focuses on the agreement aspect, implying a formal or explicit consensus.

achieve a common understanding

Emphasizes the understanding part, suggesting a mutual comprehension.

arrive at a consensus

Highlights the process of reaching a general agreement, often after discussion.

develop a common perspective

Suggests a gradual alignment of viewpoints.

find common ground

Implies discovering areas of agreement amidst disagreement.

establish a common viewpoint

Focuses on building a shared perspective.

build consensus

Highlights the construction of a shared agreement, often over time.

see eye to eye

An idiom meaning to agree or have the same opinion.

find an accord

Emphasizes reaching a harmonious agreement.

agree to disagree

Acknowledges a lack of shared understanding, but implies a respectful agreement to differ.

FAQs

How can I use "come to a shared understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "come to a shared understanding" to describe the process of reaching a mutual agreement or comprehension, as in, "After a lengthy debate, the committee was able to "come to a shared understanding" regarding the budget allocation."

What are some alternatives to "come to a shared understanding"?

Alternatives include "reach a mutual agreement", "achieve a common understanding", or "arrive at a consensus", depending on the specific context.

Is "come to a shared understanding" formal or informal?

"Come to a shared understanding" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though more formal settings might prefer alternatives like "reach a mutual agreement".

What does it mean to "come to a shared understanding"?

To "come to a shared understanding" means that multiple parties have engaged in communication and have reached a mutual comprehension of a particular topic, situation, or agreement. It implies more than just superficial agreement; it indicates a deeper level of common knowledge and perspective.