maintain consensus

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "maintain consensus" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in contexts where you want to express the idea of keeping agreement or harmony among a group of people. Example: "In order to move forward with the project, we must maintain consensus among all team members regarding the proposed changes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

"All Bush can do at this point is to maintain consensus on blocking the sale of war matériel to Iraq," Graham E. Fuller, a former vice chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the Central Intelligence Agency, said recently.

The New York Times

He tapped a team of 10 Democrats — five liberals and five centrists — to broker a deal, while he bartered, one-on-one, with specific holdouts, and also tried to maintain consensus among the full 60-member caucus.

The New York Times - Health

In 2010, the audit commission declared that Davies lacked "the political skills to build and maintain consensus" and acknowledged that his public statements had served "to worry sections of the community who are already vulnerable".

The Guardian - Opinion

Mr. Obuchi has no record of bold political leadership, and there is concern in Tokyo and Washington that the 61-year-old Foreign Minister might backtrack on the campaign promises to maintain consensus in the Liberal Democratic Party.

The New York Times

show under which conditions HD-PoS would maintain consensus, consensus may be possible if the weight vectors are similar enough.

TechCrunch

But without a renewed and concrete commitment to appropriately designed common rules and priorities, it will be hard to maintain consensus for the needed mutual support mechanisms.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

The necessity of building and maintaining consensus across a broad range of interests has led to regular policy flip-flopping, causing much disappointment among global pundits who compare India's timidity unfavorably to neighboring China's boldness.

Yale University

We show how the maintained consensus about the quantitative estimate of a central scientific concept in the anthropogenic climate-change field – namely, climate sensitivity – operates as an 'anchoring device' in 'science for policy'.

The New York Times

It was apparently worried about maintaining consensus on an overhaul of international corporate tax.Fortunately, Canada, Australia and other countries that fared poorly in the international comparisons (see chart) failed in their efforts to have them all taken out.

The Economist

In this paper, the consensus-based total-amount cooperative tracking control (TACTC) is proposed to maintain the consensus of total torque traction amount with the given reference instruction.

Journal of the Franklin Institute

Yet the ground is shifting, even as the state seeks new ways to maintain "domain consensus".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about group dynamics or collaborative efforts, use "maintain consensus" to emphasize the ongoing effort required to keep everyone in agreement. This phrase is suitable for formal and professional contexts.

Common error

While grammatically correct, using "maintain consensus" in casual conversation may sound overly formal or pretentious. Opt for simpler alternatives like "stay on the same page" or "keep everyone agreeing" in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "maintain consensus" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where "maintain" is the verb indicating the action of preserving, and "consensus" is the noun representing the agreement being preserved. The phrase is used to describe the act of keeping a group aligned or in agreement, as shown in the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

33%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "maintain consensus" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe the act of preserving agreement within a group. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. While relatively uncommon, the phrase is most frequently found in news, scientific, and academic contexts. It suggests a deliberate effort to keep parties aligned, often in the face of potential disruption. For more casual settings, simpler alternatives like "stay on the same page" might be more appropriate. Overall, the phrase is valuable in professional and formal communications where emphasizing the importance of continued agreement is essential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ensure alignment

Focuses on making sure everyone is on the same page.

preserve agreement

Focuses on keeping the agreement intact.

avoid division

Focuses on preventing disagreements that could break the consensus.

uphold accord

Implies a more formal agreement and its continued enforcement.

secure common ground

Stresses the protection of shared interests and understandings.

sustain harmony

Emphasizes the peaceful and cooperative aspect of the consensus.

foster unanimity

Implies actively promoting and nurturing agreement.

keep unity

Highlights the importance of togetherness and shared purpose.

promote solidarity

Highlights collective support and mutual understanding.

hold the line

Suggests resisting forces that could disrupt the consensus.

FAQs

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

You can use "maintain consensus" to describe efforts to keep a group in agreement. For example, "The leader worked hard to maintain consensus among the team members."

What are some alternatives to "maintain consensus"?

Alternatives include "preserve agreement", "ensure alignment", or "sustain harmony", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "maintain consensus" or "build consensus"?

"Maintain consensus" implies that a consensus already exists and needs to be preserved. "Build consensus" refers to the process of creating an agreement where one did not previously exist. Use "build consensus" when forming an agreement and "maintain consensus" when preserving it.

What does it mean to "maintain consensus" in a political context?

In politics, to "maintain consensus" means to keep different factions or parties aligned on a particular policy or decision. This often involves negotiation, compromise, and ongoing communication to prevent disagreements from escalating.