Phrase guide

par for the course

adj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈpɑː fə ðə ˈkɔːs/
  • US: /ˈpɑɹ fɚ ðə ˈkɔɹs/
  • US: /-ˈkɔəɹs/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

To be expected; normal; common.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable, usually

Examples

  • It took a long time to finish, but that's par for the course on a project like this.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: predictable, typical, usual, average, basic, bog-standard, common, common as bums, common as dirt, common as muck, common as pig tracks, dime a dozen, everyday, frequent, general, habitual, nonrare, par for the course, pedestrian, plain, quotidian, regular, routinary, routine, ten a penny, two a penny, workaday, medial, commonplace, common-and-garden, common-or-garden, congruent, consistent, conventional, customary, expected, garden variety, improminent, mundane, natural, normal, ordinary, par, plain vanilla, run-of-the-mill, standard, standard issue, unexceptional, unremarkable, unstrange, vulgar, wakeaday

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Originally a phrase used in golf. Ironically, completing a golf course in par (or even net par) is actually unusually good for most golfers and is not a typical result.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: typowo — to be expected; normal; common
  • Russian: в поря́дке веще́й (v porjádke veščéj) — to be expected; normal; common
  • Spanish: de anticipar — to be expected; normal; common
  • Spanish: normal — to be expected; normal; common
  • Spanish: común — to be expected; normal; common