Idiom
par for the course
Meaning
To be expected; normal; common.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Long lines at this store are par for the course.”
“A few mistakes are par for the course when you learn a new language.”
“Rainy weather is par for the course during the spring months in this city.”
“Delays are par for the course when you travel during the busy holiday season.”
“My old car breaks down every few months, but that is par for the course when you drive a vehicle that is twenty years old.”
“The boss often changes his mind at the last minute, which is par for the course in this fast-paced office environment.”
“Given the volatile nature of the industry, such sudden shifts in market strategy are considered par for the course by experienced analysts.”
Examples
simple
“Long lines at this store are par for the course.”
“A few mistakes are par for the course when you learn a new language.”
“Rainy weather is par for the course during the spring months in this city.”
contextual
“Delays are par for the course when you travel during the busy holiday season.”
“My old car breaks down every few months, but that is par for the course when you drive a vehicle that is twenty years old.”
“The boss often changes his mind at the last minute, which is par for the course in this fast-paced office environment.”
complex
“Given the volatile nature of the industry, such sudden shifts in market strategy are considered par for the course by experienced analysts.”
Origin
Originally a technical term from the sport of golf, the phrase describes the number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to require for a hole or a course. The expression entered the general lexicon with an ironic shift in expectations: while achieving par is a result of unusual competence for the average player, the idiom has come to denote a result that is merely typical or predictable.
Key words
Related idioms
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