more often than not
Meaning
Most of the time; in the majority of cases.
Origin
From a straightforward comparative construction meaning something happens more frequently than it doesn’t; attested in English for centuries as a plain, non-metaphorical idiomatic set phrase.
Notes
Means “usually” with a mild, measured tone—common in both speech and writing to avoid sounding absolute.
Examples
-
More often than not, the train arrives a few minutes late during rush hour.
-
When I skip breakfast, more often than not I feel tired by mid-morning.
-
He says he’ll call, but more often than not he forgets once he gets busy.
-
More often than not, a quick walk helps me clear my head after a stressful meeting.
-
If you keep your receipts, more often than not you’ll save money at tax time.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed phrase; commonly placed sentence-initially or parenthetically: “More often than not, …” or “…, more often than not.” Can modify clauses; avoid changing word order (*often more than not).
Synonyms
- usually
- generally
- most of the time
- in most cases
- more times than not
Antonyms
- rarely
- seldom
- hardly ever
- not often