normal

[ˈnɔːməl]

normal Definition

  • 1conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected
  • 2free from mental or physical disorders

Using normal: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "normal" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    It's normal to feel nervous before a big test.

  • Example

    The temperature today is normal for this time of year.

  • Example

    She has a normal work schedule.

  • Example

    The doctor said his blood pressure is normal.

normal Synonyms and Antonyms

Idioms Using normal

  • a situation that becomes the expected or typical state of affairs after a period of upheaval or change

    Example

    Working from home has become the new normal for many people during the pandemic.

  • completely abnormal or unusual

    Example

    The past year has been anything but normal, with lockdowns, protests, and political turmoil.

  • typical or expected, especially in a negative sense

    Example

    The traffic on the highway was slow this morning, but that's par for the course on Mondays.

Phrases with normal

  • a cognitive bias that causes people to underestimate the likelihood of a disaster and its potential effects because things have always been 'normal' in the past

    Example

    The government's failure to prepare for the pandemic was partly due to the normalcy bias of officials who assumed that things would continue as usual.

  • a statistical distribution in which the data is evenly distributed around the mean, forming a bell-shaped curve

    Example

    The height of adult males in the US follows a normal distribution, with most men being between 5'6" and 6'0" tall.

  • a school or college that trains teachers

    Example

    She graduated from a normal school and became a teacher in a rural area.

Origins of normal

from Latin 'normalis', meaning 'made according to a carpenter's square'

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Summary: normal in Brief

The term 'normal' [ˈnɔːməl] describes something that conforms to a standard or is typical or expected. It can refer to anything from weather to work schedules, as in 'The temperature today is normal for this time of year.' It also means free from mental or physical disorders, as in 'The doctor said his blood pressure is normal.' 'Normal' extends into phrases like 'the new normal,' and idioms like 'anything but normal,' denoting completely abnormal or unusual situations.

How do native speakers use this expression?