on the average

Idioms  

1. As a rule, usually, as in On the average, about 15 percent of the freshmen class will drop out before graduation. This expression uses average in the sense of “a norm or standard.” [First half of 1700s]

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Example Sentences

But that responsibility of figuring out what’s truly safe and unsafe shouldn’t fall on the average consumer, Benesh emphasizes.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

Stripping out one-off items, profit was up 17% on the average of the prior two quarters, helped by what Chief Executive Nuno Matos called a productivity program.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

But the Dow comprises only 30 companies, weighted by share prices, so a sharp change in an expensive stock can exert strong pressure on the average.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

The report’s conclusion relies on the average speed of answer, which includes callbacks so that callers are not actively waiting on the phone.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025

The checks that exist in nature are such that out of the millions of young produced by each pair only enough, on the average, survive to adulthood to replace the parent fish.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson