Consensus means general agreement among a group of people. When a class reaches consensus about which book to read next, everyone (or nearly everyone) agrees on the choice. The word suggests that most people genuinely support the decision, not that they were forced or pressured into it.

You see consensus at work when a group of friends picks a movie they all want to watch, or when a town council agrees on a plan that satisfies different viewpoints. Scientists reach consensus when research convinces most experts that something is true, like the consensus that Earth orbits the Sun.

Building consensus takes patience and listening. It often means compromising so everyone can accept the outcome, even if it wasn't their first choice. A soccer team might reach consensus about their strategy for the big game after discussing different ideas and finding an approach everyone can support.

The opposite of consensus is disagreement or division, where people remain split into opposing camps. While voting produces a winner even when people disagree, consensus means finding common ground. When your family reaches consensus about where to go on vacation, everyone feels heard and satisfied with the decision.