worse than average

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "worse than average" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is below the typical standard or performance level. For example, "The team's performance this season has been worse than average." Alternative expressions include "below average" and "subpar."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

Many people are worse than average, by definition.

Harvard Business Review

On the other hand, the United States current account deficit trajectory is worse than average.

Harvard University

Furthermore, John's grades are only slightly better and Ringo's grades only slightly worse than average.

Princeton University

Agnes mulls over a childhood that is not that much worse than average.

The New York Times - Books

A negative z-score means a player did worse than average, positive means better than average.

The Washington Post

So the idea of being better than average or worse than average.

Harvard Business Review

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

Does a stupid title herald a worse-than-average book?

The Economist

But Mr. Sanders added that diversification should protect Alliance's clients from suffering worse-than-average performance.

The New York Times

It was the only one that had a worse-than-average rating for predicted reliability.

The New York Times

The truck is again visiting areas that have worse-than-average health problems relating to diet, the letter points out.

The Guardian - Business

The Ram 1500 with the V-8 engine had average predicted reliability; the 2500 turbodiesel had much-worse-than-average predicted reliability.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In formal statistical reporting, consider using "below average" or "below the mean" for greater precision, as "worse" can sometimes imply a subjective value judgment.

Common error

Avoid using "worse then average". The word "than" is used for making comparisons, whereas "then" refers to time or sequence. This is a frequent slip in casual writing that can undermine your professional credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "worse than average" serves as a comparative adjective phrase. It is used to rank a specific subject against a broader set of data or a standard expectation. According to Ludwig AI, it typically follows a linking verb like "is", "was", or "performed".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Academia

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1.5%

Reference

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "worse than average" is a highly reliable and versatile comparative phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in both Neutral and Formal contexts, particularly in media reporting and academic analysis. While it is grammatically simple, writers should be careful to use "than" for the comparison and apply hyphens when using it as a compound modifier (e.g. "a worse-than-average score"). It remains a standard way to communicate underperformance or low relative quality across all major English-speaking domains.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

below average

uses a prepositional structure and is the most direct and common synonym.

subpar

provides a single-word alternative that is slightly more concise and often used in professional performance reviews.

underperforming

shifts the focus to the action or the results produced rather than a static state.

poorer than average

frequently replaces worse when describing quality, health or economic conditions.

inferior to the mean

adopts a technical or statistical register suitable for scientific papers.

trailing the average

uses a sporting or financial metaphor to suggest being behind a benchmark.

deficient

suggests a lack of a specific quality or requirement rather than just a comparative ranking.

worse than usual

compares the current state to a temporal baseline rather than a population average.

not up to par

uses an idiomatic expression to indicate that something does not meet the expected standard.

mediocre

implies something is of only moderate to low quality, though it is less specific than a direct comparison.

FAQs

How to use "worse than average" in a sentence?

You can use it to compare a specific subject to a general norm, for example: "The stock's performance this quarter was "worse than average" due to market volatility."

What can I say instead of "worse than average"?

Depending on your context, you could use "below average", "subpar", or "underperforming".

When should I use hyphens with "worse than average"?

Use hyphens when the phrase modifies a noun that follows it, making it a compound adjective, like in "a "worse-than-average result"". Do not use hyphens if it follows a verb, as in "the result was worse than average".

Is it correct to say "worse than an average"?

While grammatically possible if referring to a specific calculated average, it is much more common and natural to say ""worse than average"" when speaking about the general standard or mean.