foster consensus

USAGE SUMMARY

'foster consensus' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express the idea of encouraging agreement or unity among a group of people. For example, "The boss tried to foster consensus among the team to ensure they all worked together effectively on the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

3. Foster consensus for the new vision, competence to enact it, and cohesion to move it along.

Harvard Business Review

To help foster consensus, we suggest the need to avoid framing conservation policy discussions along the tiger tribal debate and instead focus on existing areas of agreement.

Biological Conservation

He would prefer classes in philosophy, which he sees as a way to foster "consensus on shared values and promote social cohesiveness and the development of an inclusive society".

The Guardian

Expecting that protracted arguments over the future and identity of Scotland would clear the air and help foster consensus and a renewal of sweet reason was like lighting a fire in the hope that it will burn out.

The Guardian

Efforts to tinker with Senate rules tend to make many veteran senators nervous, worried that it could alter the nature of an institution that by design protects the rights of the minority party, seeks to foster consensus building and is not intended to be a strict majoritarian body like the House.

The New York Times

Participatory modeling exercises of possible future energy systems may foster consensus building, in terms of agreement and dissent, by enabling mutual understanding of feasible technologies and portfolios, appropriate transformation speeds, or acceptable cost increases.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

If not abused, the filibuster can foster consensus-building.

The New York Times

He is also looking toward life after the presidency, when he said he might have an easier time fostering consensus on the need to confront climate change and mobilizing the public around a bipartisan approach.

The New York Times

Navigation's general manager fostered consensus by supporting those who were committed to change and offering outplacement and counseling to those who weren't; competence by providing requested training; and cohesion by redeploying managers who couldn't function in the new organization.

Harvard Business Review

Ghomin spoke to The WorldPost via email about about how to curb the "mobocracy" of social media and make it more of a platform for civil, reasoned reflection that fosters consensus instead of polarization.

HuffPost

Foster foster foster!

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "foster consensus" when you want to emphasize the importance of creating a unified agreement among different parties. For example, "The mediator worked to "foster consensus" between the two opposing sides."

Common error

Avoid using "foster consensus" when the situation calls for simply managing existing agreements or when the goal is merely to avoid conflict, rather than actively building a shared understanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "foster consensus" functions primarily as a verb phrase where "foster" acts as a transitive verb taking "consensus" as its direct object. It describes the action of promoting or encouraging agreement within a group.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

32%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "foster consensus" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed expression, as affirmed by Ludwig. It serves to denote the act of encouraging agreement or unity within a group. Predominantly used in contexts such as News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business settings, it maintains a neutral register suitable for professional discourse. When aiming for alternatives, consider options like "build consensus" or "promote consensus". Remember to use "foster consensus" when you truly seek to cultivate a shared understanding, not merely to manage existing conflicts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fostering agreement

Replaces "consensus" with "agreement", emphasizing individual assent rather than group unity.

promote consensus

Focuses on actively pushing for agreement.

build consensus

Emphasizes the active construction of agreement.

develop consensus

Emphasizes the process of creating a consensus over time.

furthering consensus

Focuses on the continuation of consensus-building rather than its initial development.

encourage agreement

Suggests a less forceful approach to gaining consensus.

cultivate consensus

Suggests a more gradual and nurturing approach to achieving agreement.

facilitate agreement

Highlights the act of making agreement easier to reach.

advance agreement

Focuses on moving existing agreements forward.

enhanced consensus

Implies improving an existing consensus, rather than creating one.

FAQs

How can I use "foster consensus" in a sentence?

You can use "foster consensus" to describe actions that encourage agreement. For instance, "The committee's goal is to "foster consensus" on the new policy."

What are some alternatives to "foster consensus"?

Alternatives include "build consensus", "promote consensus", or "encourage agreement" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to "foster consensus" or "reach a compromise"?

"Foster consensus" implies creating a shared understanding and agreement, while "reach a compromise" suggests making concessions to end a disagreement. The best choice depends on whether you aim for unity or simply resolution.

What's the difference between "foster consensus" and "seek agreement"?

"Foster consensus" suggests actively encouraging a group to come to a shared understanding, while "seek agreement" simply means trying to get individuals to agree to something. Fostering is more collaborative.