1
archaic : commonwealth
2
: the general welfare

Examples of commonweal 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.
In their usage, that term denotes not so much valuing the commonweal as building a specific type of society: communal, local, and hierarchical. Charles King, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023 The problem, of course, is a widespread disinclination to serve that good, whether it is fueled by selfishness and ignorance or the sense that one’s contributions to the commonweal have not felt adequately reciprocal. New York Times, 29 Oct. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near commonweal

Cite this Entry

“Commonweal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commonweal. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

commonweal

noun
1
archaic : commonwealth
2
: the general good
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