average a decade

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "average a decade" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a statistical measure or calculation that involves finding the mean value over a period of ten years. Example: "To understand the trend, we need to average a decade of sales data to see how the company has performed over time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Instead, a baby born in the United States this year will live to age 78 on average, a decade longer than the average baby born in 1950.

The New York Times

"Even if there are legal challenges, they tend to take on average a decade to go through the system, by which time the companies are being run by a new generation of executives who say: 'this was nothing to do with us'," Professor Sikka said.

Independent

"We all have risk factors in our lives, and [excess emissions] is another small risk factor," study author Steven Barrett of MIT told Environmental Research Web. "If you take into account the additional risk due to the excess Volkswagen emissions, then roughly 60 people have died or will die early, and on average, a decade or more early".

Huffington Post

Basal serum FSH concentrations begin to rise on average a decade or more before the menopause [ 27].

BioMed Research International

33 With cardiovascular diseases already the leading cause of death in most parts of India, 1 and cardiovascular disease events occurring on average a decade earlier than in the West, 34 the potential significance of salt reduction for the health of the population is enormous.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Benjamin Graham, the patron saint of securities analysis, sidestepped this problem by averaging a decade of earnings in evaluating a stock.

Forbes

Such visits are relatively rare: India plays host to China's leader on average once a decade.

The Economist

I calculate that, in each case, 20th-century liberalism took an average of a decade to wash the blood off the hands of a political murderer and clothe him in the respectable garments of office.

Forbes

10 12 Patients in phaco-AIT were on average about a decade older than in AIT and patients in subgroup SG≤2 were older than ones in SG≥3.

British Journal of Ophthalmology

In Japan, as elsewhere, those who start smoking in early adult life and continue smoking lose on average about a decade of life.

British Medical Journal

In the baseline patient demographics (table 1), the phaco-AIT group was on average about a decade older than the AIT group and the SG≤2 subgroup was older than SG≥3.

British Journal of Ophthalmology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "average a decade", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being averaged and that the ten-year period is well-defined.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by specifying the exact decade being referenced (e.g., "average a decade, specifically the 2010s"), especially in contexts where multiple decades are discussed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "average a decade" functions as a modifier describing a calculation performed over a ten-year period. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "average a decade" refers to calculating the mean value over a period of ten years. Ludwig indicates that this phrase is grammatically sound and suitable for use in writing. While not exceedingly common, it appears across various contexts, especially in news and scientific domains. For increased clarity, consider alternative phrasing like "ten-year average". When using "average a decade", ensure the context explicitly states what is being averaged, and be cautious of potential ambiguities when referencing the specific decade.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ten-year average

This alternative uses a more standard adjectival form to describe the average over ten years.

decade-long average

Similar to "ten-year average", this option emphasizes the duration of the averaging period.

mean over a decade

Replaces "average" with its synonym "mean", keeping the time frame the same.

average over the last decade

Specifies that the average is calculated over a recent or past decade.

ten-year mean

Combines "ten-year" with "mean" for a concise expression of the average.

average in a ten-year period

This alternative specifies a span of time.

average spanning a decade

Uses "spanning" to emphasize the duration over which the average is calculated.

typical decade value

Focuses on a value deemed representative for a typical decade, although is not a direct semantic substitution.

historical decade average

Highlights that the average relates to previous historical data.

normal decade trend

Highlights the normal trend over a decade.

FAQs

How can I use "average a decade" in a sentence?

You can use "average a decade" to describe a calculated mean over a ten-year period, as in "To understand long-term climate patterns, scientists often average a decade of temperature readings".

What's a synonym for "average a decade"?

A synonym for "average a decade" is "ten-year average", which clearly indicates the timeframe over which the average is calculated.

Is it better to say "average a decade" or "decade average"?

Both "average a decade" and "decade average" are understandable, but "ten-year average" is often clearer and more common in formal writing.

What does it mean to "average a decade" of data?

To "average a decade" of data means to calculate the mean value of that data over a ten-year period, smoothing out short-term fluctuations to reveal underlying trends.