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

Recent Examples on the Web

This is decidedly not the norm at many larger universities, where professors may not see these meetings as a core part of the job, and where administrators can ignore them altogether. —Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026

Until interoperability becomes the norm, patients and providers will continue navigating powerful but incomplete solutions in a system that remains structurally fragmented. —Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

As has become the norm in recent months, not all Fed committee members were on the same page. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026

That freedom is a big reason at-home celebrations have quietly become the norm rather than the exception. —Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 28 Jan. 2026

Rhymes for the norm

• brainstorm
• conform
• deform
• firestorm
• hailstorm
• inform
• landform
• lukewarm
• perform
• planform
• platform
• preform