Synonyms of average

average 1 of 3

adjective

1

as in median

being about midway between extremes of amount or size

since a Chihuahua seems as impractical as a Saint Bernard, let's get a dog of more average dimensions

Synonyms & Similar Words

• median
• typical
• moderate
• modest
• middle
• reasonable
• intermediate
• medium
• middling
• mean
• normal
• midsized
• standard
• midsize
• adequate
• usual
• regular
• conventional
• common
• routine
• tolerable
• popular
• commonplace
• passable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• excessive
• extreme
• unusual
• exceptional
• rare
• special
• uncommon
• individual
• strange
• unique
• private
• distinctive
• peculiar
• idiosyncratic

2

as in normal

being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events

just an average day at the office

Synonyms & Similar Words

• normal
• ordinary
• usual
• typical
• standard
• common
• commonplace
• routine
• everyday
• unremarkable
• expected
• customary
• regular
• prosaic
• unexceptional
• run-of-the-mill
• garden-variety
• standard-issue
• familiar
• par for the course
• workaday
• cut-and-dried
• cut-and-dry
• homely
• plain
• predictable
• popular
• frequent
• insignificant
• trivial
• vulgar
• unimportant
• habitual
• natural
• unextraordinary
• plain-Jane
• wonted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extraordinary
• exceptional
• unusual
• abnormal
• strange
• odd
• atypical
• curious
• peculiar
• anomalous
• rare
• funny
• out-of-the-way
• quaint
• irregular
• scarce
• aberrant
• phenomenal
• untypical
• queer
• outstanding
• outrageous
• fantastic
• wild
• eccentric
• bizarre
• fantastical
• weird
• idiosyncratic
• prominent
• notable
• unprecedented
• striking
• unconventional
• unique
• wacky
• unorthodox
• signal
• freakish
• conspicuous
• offbeat
• freak
• unparalleled
• novel
• salient
• singular
• recherché
• oddball
• whacky
• unexampled
• outré
• nonconformist
• way-out
• kooky
• far-out
• Kafkaesque
• kookie

3

as in typical

having or showing the qualities associated with the members of a particular group or kind

the company's marketing people want to interview average teenagers to see what kinds of clothes appeal to them

Synonyms & Similar Words

• typical
• normal
• standard
• usual
• regular
• true
• characteristic
• representative
• ordinary
• archetypal
• archetypical
• conventional
• common
• customary
• classic
• everyday
• expected
• predictable
• commonplace
• routine
• predominant
• habitual
• familiar
• unremarkable
• workaday
• vintage
• unexceptional
• textbook
• wonted
• preponderant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abnormal
• atypical
• anomalous
• unusual
• deviant
• aberrant
• irregular
• uncommon
• untypical
• exceptional
• extraordinary
• special
• infrequent
• remarkable
• rare
• unique
• unconventional
• nontypical
• nonrepresentative
• unexpected
• unpredictable
• distinctive
• noteworthy
• singular
• unfamiliar
• eccentric
• unknown
• unwonted
• especial
• idiosyncratic
• peculiar
• uncustomary
• odd
• unorthodox
• strange
• curious
• erratic
• nonconformist
• outlandish
• funny
• oddball
• outrageous
• quirky
• funky
• wild
• screwy
• offbeat
• wacky
• freakish
• fantastic
• unnatural
• bizarre
• weird
• freak
• out-of-the-way
• fantastical
• whacky
• way-out
• outré
• kooky
• kookie
• far-out

average

2 of 3

noun

ˈa-v(ə-)rij 

as in norm

what is typical of a group, class, or series

my cat's a cut above the average when it comes to being a finicky eater

Synonyms & Similar Words

• normal
• norm
• standard
• usual
• median
• ordinary
• par
• mean
• middle
• rule
• status quo
• representative
• golden mean
• commonplace
• run
• exemplar

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deviation
• exception
• anomaly
• abnormality
• rarity

average

3 of 3

verb

1

as in to measure

Synonyms & Similar Words

• measure
• reach
• equal
• number
• total
• aggregate
• count (up to)
• come (to)
• amount (to)
• sum (to or into)
• comprise
• add up (to)
• constitute
• make up
• compose

2

as in to equalize

Synonyms & Similar Words

• equalize
• even
• organize
• order
• marshall
• systematize
• square
• normalize
• methodize
• codify
• standardize
• systemize
• regularize
• rule
• marshal
• regulate
• control
• homogenize
• govern
• reconcile
• coordinate
• formalize
• certify
• synthesize
• conform
• integrate
• accredit
• conciliate
• harmonize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tailor
• customize
• individualize

Synonym Chooser

How is the word average distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of average are mean, median, and norm. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," average is the quotient obtained by dividing the sum total of a set of figures by the number of figures.

scored an average of 85 on tests

When can mean be used instead of average?

The words mean and average are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mean may be the simple average or it may represent value midway between two extremes.

a high of 70° and a low of 50° give a mean of 60°

In what contexts can median take the place of average?

While the synonyms median and average are close in meaning, median applies to the value that represents the point at which there are as many instances above as there are below.

average of a group of persons earning 3, 4, 5, 8, and 10 dollars an hour is 6 dollars, whereas the median is 5 dollars

Where would norm be a reasonable alternative to average?

In some situations, the words norm and average are roughly equivalent. However, norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

Examples of average in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

While the 208th edition of the Almanac predicts much of the country will see average or above normal temperatures this winter, the Great Lakes region and North Central States are an exception. —Elissa Robinson, Detroit Free Press, 24 Oct. 2024

Households with incomes in the top 1 percent received a tax cut of more than $60,000, while households in the bottom 60% will receive a $500 average tax cut in 2025, the report said. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 24 Oct. 2024

Noun

The overall average: Each MPS school lost 146 students during that period. —Alan J. Borsuk, Journal Sentinel, 23 Oct. 2024

While the average is 25% across all workers since 2019, many have received less—for example, workers in apparel manufacturing, whose wages have grown only 12% since 2019. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024

Verb

Since 2000, Democrats have averaged a net gain of more than 20,000 votes in Dane in every successive presidential contest. —Craig Gilbert, Journal Sentinel, 24 Oct. 2024

The stock has averaged a gain of more than 2% the day after each earnings report. —Brian Evans, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2024