find commonality

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "find commonality" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the process of identifying shared characteristics or similarities between different subjects or groups. Example: "In our discussion, we aim to find commonality between the two cultures to foster better understanding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Without making difference work, we can't find commonality.

Independent

The goal for us is to express what we're going through, and it's great if people find commonality in that".

The Guardian - Music

"There is the same distrust and disparity of cultural approach, but also an underlying need to find commonality".

The New York Times

In terms of Alec, we specifically support their pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda and generally find commonality on issues important to the oil and gas industry.

The Guardian

"He helped teach Obama how to listen to people, how to make sense of their lives, how to find commonality in a seemingly disparate group, and — most important — he began the reshaping of an idealistic and somewhat naïve young man into a political realist".

The New York Times

December 14 2013 December 31 201313 Mandy Patinkin and Taylor Mac star in this musical workshop, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman and presented by Classic Stage Company, in which the only two people who survived a flood on Earth find commonality in song and dance.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

In the end, we empathize with almost every character, and find commonalities between them and ourselves.

The New Yorker

Azerrad's sharpest point is that the forced modesty of indie rock was its secret strength, connecting adolescent hard-core and arty college rock, helping a working-class outfit like the Minutemen, from the Navy town of San Pedro, Calif., find commonalities with upper-class disaffecteds like Mission of Burma, who pursued what one critic called "avant-garde music you could shake your fist to".

The New York Times - Books

The blurred boundaries enhance opportunities to find commonalities in joint organisational learning activities to enable innovation.

Triple Helix

"It's about using things like the open social graph and machine learning to find commonalities between people that are not immediately obvious," he says.

TechCrunch

Instead, the company was focused on their Music Genome Project, which aimed to extract the DNA from music, as it were, and find commonalities to perfect recommendations.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "find commonality", ensure that the subjects being compared have enough depth to warrant a meaningful comparison. Superficial similarities may not lead to insightful conclusions.

Common error

Avoid declaring commonality based on trivial or surface-level similarities. Ensure that the shared aspects are significant and relevant to the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "find commonality" functions as a verb phrase. As shown by Ludwig, it typically involves an action of discovering or identifying shared characteristics. The phrase is often used to describe the process of seeking similarities or points of convergence between different entities or ideas.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

33%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "find commonality" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that is employed to describe the act of discovering shared characteristics or similarities between different subjects. As confirmed by Ludwig, this phrase has a neutral tone and can be applied in various contexts, including news, science, and general discussions. While it is not overwhelmingly frequent, it serves a valuable communicative purpose. To enhance your writing, consider the provided best practices and be mindful of potential errors. For alternative phrasing, options such as "identify similarities" or "discover shared traits" can offer nuanced expressions of the same underlying concept.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

identify similarities

Focuses on the act of pinpointing shared aspects, differing from "find commonality" which implies a broader search.

discover shared traits

Highlights uncovering common characteristics, whereas "find commonality" suggests a more general alignment.

establish common ground

Emphasizes creating a basis for agreement, in contrast to simply finding existing commonalities.

recognize connections

Stresses acknowledging links and relationships, differing from the direct search for commonalities.

determine points of convergence

Highlights establishing where different elements meet or align, unlike the more general "find commonality".

uncover affinities

Focuses on revealing natural liking or connection. This is a slightly more emotive and less direct alternative.

detect shared attributes

Involves actively noticing common qualities, whereas the original phrase can be more passive.

ascertain common features

Implies confirmation of similarities. It is a more formal and less common version.

observe common elements

Highlights the observation of matching pieces. This emphasizes the visual recognition.

locate similarities

Focuses on the physical act of finding or pinpointing resemblances. This is a less abstract version.

FAQs

How can I use "find commonality" in a sentence?

You can use "find commonality" to describe the act of discovering shared traits or similarities between different subjects. For example: "The goal of the project is to "find commonality" between the different approaches."

What can I say instead of "find commonality"?

You can use alternatives like "identify similarities", "discover shared traits", or "establish common ground" depending on the context.

Is it better to "find commonality" or "find commonalities"?

Both "find commonality" and "find commonalities" are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Find commonality" refers to finding a general shared aspect, while "find commonalities" refers to finding specific instances of shared aspects.

What's the difference between "find commonality" and "find common ground"?

"Find commonality" focuses on identifying existing similarities, while "find common ground" implies creating a basis for agreement or understanding, often where differences exist.