the norm

noun

1
: an average level of development or achievement
She scored well above/below the norm in math.
2
: something (such as a behavior or way of doing something) that is usual or expected
Smaller families have become the norm.

Examples of the norm in a Sentence

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Depending on the game script and how players fare individually, the way to beat the Blue Devils may cause the Cougars offensive scheme to adjust from the norm. Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025 Given that flats and sneakers appear to have become the norm for younger generations, many of them are baffled at how millennials even managed to wear heels. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025 The Twist in The Woman in the Yard Is a New Low for Trauma Horror Horror that’s really about trauma is now the norm, but there’s something particularly thoughtless about this film’s treatment of mental health. Joe Reid, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2025 The process has become the norm in recent decades for advancing mainline agendas, including GOP tax cuts going back to former President Reagan, the Affordable Care Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Tobias Burns, The Hill, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the norm

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Cite this Entry

“The norm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20norm. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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