as a rule
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
Politics can sometimes resemble grammar: An error that everyone commits is finally recognized as a rule.
They pay no social security contributions and yet as a rule also receive unemployment benefit or social assistance.
British National Corpus sentence via the MAGPIE corpus (CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Common questions
What does “as a rule” mean?
Recognized English idiom; full definition pending editorial review.
Is “as a rule” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.