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

Costs were down 5% on the average of the prior two quarters, which helps support Storey’s upgraded EPS forecasts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 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

That’s a big improvement on the average 13,000 increase from June to August.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 20, 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