# set the bar

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/set-the-bar
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To set specific standards or expectations.

## Examples

- They set the bar high for everyone else.
- By finishing the project early and under budget, the team set the bar for the rest of the department.
- The author set the bar for modern science fiction with this novel, forcing all subsequent writers to match her level of technical detail and emotional depth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.