mainstream thinking

USAGE SUMMARY

"mainstream thinking" is natural and often used in written English.
You can use it to refer to the generally accepted opinion or ideas on a particular subject. For example: "He challenged mainstream thinking by suggesting a radical new approach to the problem."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

When we started Sundance it was basically to enlarge the category of film to include those people that might be shut out by the mainstream thinking.

Independent

That strategy, unbeknown to Lewis, had its intellectual roots in papers written by Kahneman and Tversky 30 years earlier, but which were only then becoming mainstream thinking.

The Guardian - Books

A 'think and do' tank seeking to improve quality of life by challenging mainstream thinking on economic, environmental and social issues.

The Guardian

In economic circles, he is a famous crank he often makes jokes himself about the fact that his ideas are far removed from any sort of mainstream thinking.

The New Yorker

In economic circles, he is a famous crank — he often makes jokes himself about the fact that his ideas are far removed from any sort of mainstream thinking.

The New Yorker

Since the publication of Moneyball the Oakland personnel, and their ideas, have spread out across the league and their methods assimilated into mainstream thinking.

The Guardian - Books

Follow-up work in the 1980s confirmed some of these observations, but they lay so far outside mainstream thinking that they barely received notice.

MIT Technology Review

Boris is right to be thinking in this direction, but sadly it is going to be some time before this kind of common sense becomes mainstream thinking.

The Guardian - Opinion

In these circumstances, Corbyn's flagship policies – against austerity and in favour of People's QE – would be in line with mainstream thinking.

The Guardian - Business

Mr McDonnell insisted that whether or not people agreed with his prescriptions for dealing with the system but said his theories offered "interesting analyses" that have now become mainstream thinking.

Independent

The contention that the goal of competition policy should be to maximise consumer welfare (rather than, say, to protect small companies or to inhibit excessive size), put forth by scholars such as Robert Bork, is now mainstream thinking.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mainstream thinking" to clearly indicate the prevailing beliefs or ideas in a specific field or context, especially when contrasting it with alternative or innovative perspectives.

Common error

Be aware that "mainstream thinking" refers to established, widely accepted ideas, which may differ from fleeting trends or popular opinions. Use "mainstream thinking" when referring to well-established concepts, not just passing fads.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mainstream thinking" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It refers to the prevailing or widely accepted ideas and beliefs within a particular field or society. Ludwig AI shows that it is widely used across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

23%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mainstream thinking" is a commonly used noun phrase that denotes the prevailing or widely accepted ideas and beliefs in a particular context. Ludwig AI confirms its frequent use across diverse fields, with News & Media being the most common. While the phrase carries a neutral tone, its purpose is often to contrast conventional viewpoints with alternative perspectives. It's important to differentiate "mainstream thinking" from fleeting popular opinions and to use it when referring to established concepts. Alternatives include "conventional wisdom" and "prevailing opinion", which offer similar meanings with slight nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

conventional wisdom

Focuses on the acceptance of ideas over time rather than their current popularity.

established beliefs

Emphasizes the degree to which the ideas are fixed and accepted.

prevailing opinion

Highlights the aspect of public agreement on a particular issue.

dominant ideology

Refers to the ruling set of ideas, especially in a political or social context.

popular belief

Implies widespread acceptance among the general population.

accepted viewpoint

Focuses on the idea as something that is agreed upon or regarded as correct.

general consensus

Emphasizes the agreement and accord among a group of people.

standard viewpoint

Highlights the conformity to an established model of thought.

common knowledge

Highlights the characteristic of being widely known.

traditional perspective

Implies a reliance on longstanding customs and ideas.

FAQs

How can I use "mainstream thinking" in a sentence?

You can use "mainstream thinking" to describe ideas, beliefs, or opinions that are widely accepted and considered conventional, for example, "The new research challenges "mainstream thinking" about climate change".

What are some alternatives to "mainstream thinking"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "conventional wisdom", "prevailing opinion", or "accepted viewpoint".

Is "mainstream thinking" the same as "popular opinion"?

"Mainstream thinking" refers to established and widely accepted ideas, while "popular opinion" reflects current public sentiment, which can be more transient. Therefore, the two terms are not interchangeable and have different nuances.

What's the difference between "mainstream thinking" and "dominant ideology"?

"Mainstream thinking" generally refers to widely accepted beliefs in a specific context, while "dominant ideology" describes the ruling ideas in a political or social system. While both can overlap, "dominant ideology" often implies a power structure that enforces those beliefs.