average
noun
av·er·age
| \ Ëa-v(É-)rij
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Definition of average
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a
: a single value (such as a mean, mode, or median) that summarizes or represents the general significance of a set of unequal values
b
: mean sense 1b
2a
: an estimation of or approximation to an arithmetic mean
b
: a level (as of intelligence) typical of a group, class, or series
above the average
3
: a ratio expressing the average performance especially of an athletic team or an athlete computed according to the number of opportunities for successful performance
a batting average
on average
or on the average
: taking the typical example of the group under consideration
Prices have increased on average by five percent. [=the average increase has been five percent]
average
adjectiveDefinition of average (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: equaling an arithmetic mean
2a
: being about midway between extremes
a man of average height
b
: not out of the ordinary : common
on an average day the average person
average
verb
averaged;
averaging
Definition of average (Entry 3 of 3)
1a
: to be or come to an average
The gain averaged out to 20 percent.
b
: to have a medial value of
a color averaging a pale purple
2
: to buy on a falling market or sell on a rising market additional shares or commodities so as to obtain a more favorable average price
—usually used with down or up
1
: to do, get, or have on the average or as an average sum or quantity
averages 12 hours of work a day
2
: to find the arithmetic mean of (a series of unequal quantities)
3a
: to bring toward the average
b
: to divide among a number according to a size, number, or amount that is directly related to or appropriate for something
average a loss
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Synonyms for average
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Adjective
intermediate, mean, median, medium, middle, middling, midsize (also midsized), moderate, modest
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Examples of average in a Sentence
Noun
The average of 16, 8, and 6 is 10. Take all these temperatures and find their average. An average of 2,000 people attended the show each night. Prices have increased on average about eight percent. On average, women live longer than men. His work has been above the average.Adjective
Take all these temperatures and find their average temperature. The investment had a higher average return. The average age of the company's employees is 36. The average woman lives longer than the average man. Do you know what the average person earns? the average American family buyer Sales were about average for the industry on the whole. Average grades are not good enough to get you into graduate school. She was an average student. She thought the performance was just average.Verb
The teacher averaged the students' grades. What figure do you get when you average the amount of rainfall for the last three months?
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Trump has in the past said that a swift interest rate cut by the Fed would lead the Dow Jones industrial average to climb by thousands of points. — Washington Post, "U.S. economy is ârelatively strongâ and doesnât need lower interest rates, key Fed leader says," 4 Sep. 2019 The two nights of debates that CNN hosted in July in Detroit attracted an average of 9.7 million television viewers per evening. — Mark K. Matthews, Scientific American, "Five Things to Watch During CNNâs Climate Forum," 4 Sep. 2019 Each strike kills an average of five trees and damages 16 more as the bolt's electricity hops from one tree to another. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "Sturdy as they are, giant trees are particularly susceptible to these three killers," 4 Sep. 2019 The attorneys said the state employees in the lawsuit paid an average of $400 a year in fees to the union in order to work in their positions. — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, "Maryland state employees file lawsuit against AFSCME to recoup union fees that Supreme Court found illegal," 4 Sep. 2019 The site earned its moniker due to its insanely high density of golden lancehead vipers; some studies report an average of one to five snakes per square meter. — Caitlin Morton, CondĂ© Nast Traveler, "Creepy Catacombs, Islands of Dolls, and 18 Other Terrifying Places for Thrill Seekers," 4 Sep. 2019 And the Dow Jones industrial average is 3.4% below its closing high of 27,359 July 15. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "Good riddance to August but September could be just as bumpy for stocks, history shows," 3 Sep. 2019 Last yearâs Bucs allowed an average of 29 points a game, which was second most in the NFL. — Eduardo A. Encina, orlandosentinel.com, "Can Todd Bowles revive the Bucsâ defense?," 3 Sep. 2019 The relegation of General Electric from the Dow Jones industrial average last year seemed like another nail in t