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

See Examples For:

on the average

The measure is a saving of about £45 a year on the average household bill, the government said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

At Townsend-Greenspan, his personal consulting firm, he estimated demand for groceries based on the average family’s shelf space; for gasoline based on how much motorists already had in their gas tanks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

That means an extra £30 this year on the average bill funding Stormont spending – everything from schools, hospitals to housing and roads.

From BBC ● May 20, 2026

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

What one finds is that Jomon and Yayoi skeletons are on the average readily distinguishable.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond