raise the bar

Meaning

To raise the bar means to raise the standards or expectations, making it more difficult for others to compete or achieve the same level. It is commonly used in business and casual contexts to describe someone setting a new, higher benchmark of quality or performance.

Examples

• Their new marketing campaign really raised the bar for the entire industry.

  Their new marketing campaign really raised the bar for the entire industry.

• She raised the bar so high with her last presentation that we are all nervous now.

  She raised the bar so high with her last presentation that we are all nervous now.

• If we want to win this contract, we need to raise the bar on our customer service.

  If we want to win this contract, we need to raise the bar on our customer service.

• He raised the bar for what a good team leader should be.

  He raised the bar for what a good team leader should be.

• Every time they release a new product, they manage to raise the bar.

  Every time they release a new product, they manage to raise the bar.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ We need to rise the bar.

  ✓ We need to raise the bar.

  'Rise' is an intransitive verb and cannot take a direct object. 'Raise' must be used because it is a transitive verb requiring an object.

• ✗ They lifted the bar of our expectations.

  ✓ They raised the bar of our expectations.

  While 'lift' is a synonym for 'raise', the idiom is fixed as 'raise the bar'. Replacing it with other verbs sounds unnatural.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Their incredible performance last night has ___ for all future competitors.

  💡 Set a much higher standard.

  Show answer

  raised the bar

• If we want to stay ahead of our competitors, we need to ___ on quality control.

  💡 Increase the standards.

  Show answer

  raise the bar