conventional thinking vs conventional wisdom

Both 'conventional thinking' and 'conventional wisdom' are correct phrases, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Conventional thinking' refers to the usual or typical way of thinking about something, while 'conventional wisdom' refers to beliefs or ideas that are widely accepted as true by a group of people. The choice between the two depends on whether you want to emphasize the act of thinking or the accepted beliefs.

Last updated: October 04, 2024 • 965 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to the usual or typical way of thinking about something.

"conventional thinking"

Use 'conventional thinking' when you want to talk about the usual or typical way of thinking about a particular topic or issue.

Examples:

Conventional thinking suggests that hard work leads to success.
We need to challenge conventional thinking and explore new ideas.
Her unconventional approach challenged conventional thinking in the industry.

Show examples from the web [+]

Not by permanently damaging the neurons, which has been the conventional thinking, but by over-stimulating them.
Conventional thinking has it that this is the best time for a launch to Mars because the thrust required
The conventional thinking has been that trauma leads to distress, and there's been a lot of focus on the resulting dysfunction.
I want Starbuck in here... because she's not weighed down by conventional thinking.
It's an idea for a new kind of school, which turns on its head much of our conventional thinking about what schools are for and how they work.
New technology is not the key to a good future; we need non-conventional thinking in all fields, in firms as well as in public administration.
Are you thinking conventional mattress or perhaps memory foam?
Does this report really add anything new aside from the usual litany of concepts and slogans relating to conventional egalitarian thinking and to non-discrimination?
Or were you thinking more conventional?
We gathered from his appearance here on 24 June that he was not thinking of embarking on an ambitious reform under any circumstances and that he would confine himself to the 'conventional measures'.
And I'm thinking not just a conventional drag race, let's make it a Le Mans style drag race.
It focuses too much on conventional energy solutions rather than renewable energy ones; on centralised systems rather than decentralised ones; on traditional, economic tools rather than new thinking; on purely technical measures rather than an holistic approach.

Alternatives:

traditional thinking
typical thinking
common thinking
standard thinking
mainstream thinking

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to beliefs or ideas that are widely accepted as true by a group of people.

"conventional wisdom"

Use 'conventional wisdom' when you want to refer to widely accepted beliefs or ideas within a particular group or society.

Examples:

According to conventional wisdom, early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
The company ignored conventional wisdom and took a different approach to marketing.
Despite conventional wisdom, she decided to pursue a career in the arts.

Show examples from the web [+]

The conventional wisdom or received opinion is the body of ideas or explanations generally accepted by the public and/or by experts in a field.
Oct 26, 2015 ... Brian Beckcom · I'm scared to death of conventional wisdom because not only is it often wrong, it's often wrong in a ridiculous or dangerous way.
Using cognitive theory to explain entrepreneurial risk-taking: Challenging conventional wisdom. Author links open overlay panel. Leslie E. Palich ¹ , D. Ray ...

Alternatives:

common belief
accepted wisdom
popular belief
traditional belief
mainstream belief

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conventional thinking vs conventional wisdom