Raise the Bar

Meaning

To raise the bar means to increase the standard of quality, performance, or achievement that is expected. When someone raises the bar, they make the goal harder to reach, encouraging others to improve in order to match or surpass the new level.

The idiom is common in business, sport, education, and the arts. A company might raise the bar for customer service; a teacher might raise the bar for what counts as excellent work; an athlete might raise the bar for an entire sport with a record-breaking performance. The phrase usually carries a positive sense of progress and higher ambition.

The opposite is to “lower the bar,” which means to accept a weaker standard or make something easier to achieve.

Origin

This idiom comes straight from the world of athletics, specifically the high jump and the pole vault. In both events, athletes must clear a horizontal bar without knocking it down. Each time a competitor succeeds, officials raise the bar to a higher position, creating a harder challenge that the athletes must then clear.

The image is easy to picture: the higher the bar is set, the greater the skill and effort needed to get over it. From this literal sporting practice, the phrase moved into general use during the 20th century as a metaphor for any rise in standards or expectations. Figurative expressions of this kind are the sort of entry catalogued by major reference works such as the Cambridge Dictionary, which track how idiomatic meanings develop and spread.

Because the original image is so clear, the idiom remains vivid and widely understood across English-speaking cultures.

Example Sentences

Dialogue Example

Usage Notes

This idiom is neutral to slightly formal and works well in both spoken and written English. It is very common in business and professional contexts. You often see it followed by “for” (raise the bar for something) or “on” (raise the bar on quality). It carries a positive tone of higher ambition and improvement.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes write “rise the bar” instead of “raise the bar.” Remember that raise is the correct verb here because the bar is being lifted by someone. Also, do not confuse this with “set the bar,” which simply means to establish a standard, whereas “raise the bar” means to make an existing standard higher.

Related Idioms

Want to understand the grammar behind this? Explore our Grammar guides.

Quick Check: Raise the Bar

2 questions — test what you just learned.

1. What does “Raise the Bar” mean?

To persist in a difficult situation and continue trying rather than giving up; used as encouragement to…To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often by ignoring rules or reducing quality.To set a higher standard or level of expectation for quality or achievement.

2. Complete the sentence: “The new manager wants to _____ on quality, so every report now goes through a second review.”

raise the barHang in Therecut corners

Want more practice? Try the full Quiz exercise →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “raise the bar” mean?

It means to set a higher standard or level of expectation for quality or achievement, encouraging people to perform better to meet it.

How do you use “raise the bar” in a sentence?

You can say “Their work has raised the bar for the whole team” or “We want to raise the bar on quality.” It usually describes a positive rise in standards.

Where does “raise the bar” come from?

It comes from the high jump and pole vault in athletics, where officials raise the horizontal bar to a higher position, creating a harder challenge that competitors must clear.

Is it “raise the bar” or “rise the bar”?

The correct form is “raise the bar.” The verb “raise” means to lift something, which fits the idea of someone setting the standard higher.

What is the opposite of “raise the bar”?

The opposite is “lower the bar,” which means to accept a weaker standard or make something easier to achieve.

What is the difference between “raise the bar” and “set the bar”?

“Set the bar” means to establish a standard in the first place, while “raise the bar” means to make an existing standard higher and more demanding.

Is “raise the bar” formal or informal?

It is neutral and works in both formal and informal settings. It is especially common in business, sport, and professional contexts.

Does “raise the bar” have a positive meaning?

Yes, it is generally positive. It suggests progress, higher ambition, and a push toward better quality or achievement.

What are common collocations with “raise the bar”?

Common patterns include “raise the bar for the industry,” “raise the bar on quality,” and “really raise the bar.”

What English level is “raise the bar” suitable for?

It is pitched at B1 (Intermediate) level. The words are simple, and the sporting image makes the figurative meaning easy to grasp.