Synonyms of norm

norm

noun

ˈnȯrm 

1

as in normal

what is typical of a group, class, or series

sales figures that are within the norm of a store of that size

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• exception
• deviation
• anomaly
• abnormality
• rarity

2

as in standards

norms plural the code of good conduct for an individual or group

societal norms dictate that murder is wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

• standards
• principles
• values
• ethics
• morality
• morals
• ethos
• beliefs
• customs
• manners
• dictates
• etiquette
• mores
• dogma
• tenets
• faith

Synonym Chooser

How is the word norm distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of norm are average, mean, and median. While all these words mean "something that represents a middle point," norm means the average of performance of a significantly large group, class, or grade.

scores about the norm for fifth grade arithmetic

When is it sensible to use average instead of norm?

The synonyms average and norm are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 might mean be a better fit than norm?

The words mean and norm can be used in similar contexts, but 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°

When can median be used instead of norm?

Although the words median and norm have much in common, 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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of norm

All agreed that what Trump is proposing would shatter 50 years of post-Watergate norms dictating that federal prosecutors don’t take orders from the president about criminal investigations. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 1 Nov. 2024

Addressing Impact on Society Both AI and crypto have the potential to disrupt societal norms and institutions. —Nina Turner, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024

Among the attractions for beneficiaries has been that China’s help comes without the kind of economic and political conditions that U.S. and Western donors have long emphasized: economic sustainability, transparency, and a broad acceptance of democratic norms. —Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2024

Rather than being a loss for Washington, however, the resulting web of relationships enabled the United States to work with and through its friends to help shape the bank’s rules, norms, and practices. —Anne-Marie Slaughter, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2024