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

The timber covered mountains have patches of clearcuts where the deer hang out and long cross-canyon shots are the norm. — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2026

In private markets, where complexity is the norm and deadlines don’t bend, this shortage has become a risk factor that belongs in your due diligence conversations. — Steven Boydstun, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Making fun of people’s differences or medical conditions may have been the norm in the early days of the entertainment industry, but today Hollywood prefers to reward more inclusive, socially conscious and medically accurate storytelling. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Some experts subsequently questioned whether this would remain an isolated case—or whether zero-knowledge proofs would become the norm in a research world where companies that have secrets to keep play an increasingly important role. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for the norm

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