Example: We need to lower the bar to make the test easier.
Definition
"To lower the bar" means to reduce the standards or expectations required for achieving something, making it easier to reach a goal or pass a test. For example, "We need to lower the bar to make the test easier" means decreasing the difficulty or criteria involved.
Translations
bajar el nivel
de lat lager leggen
abaixar el nivell
abaisser les exigences
die Messlatte senken
Etymology
The phrase "to lower the bar" originates from the literal action of lowering a horizontal bar in sports like high jump or pole vault, where lowering the bar makes the jump easier. Over time, it became a metaphor for reducing standards or expectations in various contexts.
Learn to use this expression actively
"To lower the bar" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 106 commonly used expressions.
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