lower the bar
Accept less quality
To lower the bar is to reduce standards or expectations, making something easier to achieve or accept.
The metaphor comes from high jump and pole vault, where lowering the bar makes the obstacle less challenging.
Often used critically: They've really lowered the bar for what counts as customer service.
Compare raise the bar.
- lessenReduce in degree
- reduceMake smaller in degree
- relaxBecome less tense
- easeLack of strain
- fallDescend under gravity
drop · diminish · slack · compromise · adjust · sink · race to the bottom · mediocrity · simplify · complacency · shortcuts · easy way out · permissiveness · underachievement · settle for less · decrease · dip · fall short
- Standards & Benchmarksbenchmark, yardstick, gold standard, litmus test, acid test
lower the barraise the bar
Increase performance threshold
up the ante · crack down · push the envelope · stretch goals
lower the barweed out
Remove unwanted elements
thin the herd · separate the wheat from the chaff · gatekeep
lower, lowers, lowered, lowering, lowest, lowness, bars, barred, barring