Meaning Of Idiom ‘Raise the Bar’
To raise the bar means to set higher standards or rules than before; to make something a bit more difficult than before; to raise the quality expected.
Usage Notes
The opposite idiom is lower the bar.
Sentence Examples
“The special effects in the movie raised the bar for the next generation of hi-tech thrillers.”
“He was thought to have raised the bar in biking performance, but it turned out that his performance was artificially enhanced with drugs.”
“This phone really raises the bar. It’s basically a laptop computer that fits in your hand.”
“Every time I stage the sergeant’s exam, they raise the bar. I don’t think I’ll ever pass!”
“The last thing we need is to raise the bar for inclusion in the organization. We’ve already been accused of discrimination.”
“It’s time police forces raised the bar in their recruiting efforts.”
“He keeps raising the bar for philanthropy, continually giving more to some of the most important causes.”
Origin of ‘Raise the Bar’
Used since the 1900s, this idiom comes from the track and field events the high jump (chiefly), and the pole vault. In these events, a horizontal bar is raised higher and higher to increase the difficulty of the jump or vault.
