A general agreement shared by all or most people in a group.
“Despite hours of debate, the committee failed to reach a consensus on the new zoning law.”
“There is a growing consensus among economists that the tax cut had limited long-term benefits.”
Reading Part 4 sometimes ends by noting that no consensus has been reached, a strong clue that the debate remains unresolved. Watch for this word in concluding sentences, since it often signals the overall takeaway the questions want you to notice.
Synonyms: agreement, accord, unanimity