THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Raise the bar
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To establish a higher standard of quality or achievement.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- The new team’s thoughtful exhibition helped raise the bar for future events.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
The new team’s thoughtful exhibition helped ________ for future events.
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Raise the bar — To establish a higher standard of quality or achievement.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Raise the bar” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
To establish a higher standard of quality or achievement.
Compare: The new team’s thoughtful exhibition helped raise the bar for future events.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this expression when an excellent performance or improvement increases what people expect. It suits study, creative work, services and teamwork.
More examples in context
- Her carefully checked guide raised the bar for the rest of the series.
- We want to raise the bar by making every workshop easier to follow.
Usage note
The past form is raised the bar. This is different from move the goalposts, which suggests changing conditions unfairly during an attempt. A higher standard should be clear rather than a vague demand for more.
A short conversation
A: The latest guide is much clearer than the old one.
B: It has raised the bar for the next set of lessons.
A: Let’s use its helpful structure as a reference.
One more practice question
What does an excellent project that raises the bar do?
A. Sets a higher standard for future work.
B. Automatically changes agreed rules unfairly during someone else’s attempt.
Check your answer
A. Raising the bar concerns a higher standard; unfairly shifting conditions is a different idea.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.