in common

phrase

: shared together
has a lot in common with his neighbors

Examples of in common in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While no two strong El Niño winters are the same, most have temperature and precipitation trends in common. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 Kessler's opinion on the ad — which featured Good Good co-founder Garrett Clark pushing member Alexis Miestowski to the ground — was one based in common sense. — Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026 The yakuza movies of the nineteen-sixties have more in common with classic Westerns than with American gangster flicks. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The itineraries have little in common; the travel outfits, though, are another story. — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for in common

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of in common was in the 14th century

Rhymes for in common

See All Rhymes for in common

Browse Nearby Words

incommodity
in common
in common parlance
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In common.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20common. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All