make common cause

verb

"make-common-cause" is a 15-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“make common cause” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
17
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.

Key facts for make common cause
PropertyValue
Headwordmake common cause
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters17
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “make common cause” sits in English frequency

make common cause falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for make common cause is 17 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.".

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for make common cause, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Possibly a calque of French faire cause commune, first attested in the same period (1787). The correct English form is make common cause, spelled M-A-K-E- -C-O-M-M-O-N- -C-A-U-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.

Etymology

Possibly a calque of French faire cause commune, first attested in the same period (1787).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "make common cause"?
"make common cause" is spelled M-A-K-E- -C-O-M-M-O-N- -C-A-U-S-E.
What does "make common cause" mean?
As a verb, "make common cause" means: To cooperate, to enter into an alliance for a shared goal.
What is the origin of the word "make common cause"?
Possibly a calque of French faire cause commune, first attested in the same period (1787). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “make common cause”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-K-E- -C-O-M-M-O-N- -C-A-U-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list