lowered the bar
Made it easier
Lowered the bar means reduced standards or expectations, making something easier to achieve or accept.
The image comes from high jump or pole vault, where a lower bar requires less effort to clear.
The phrase typically carries negative judgment—that quality or rigor has been sacrificed: That hire really lowered the bar for the whole department.
Compare raised the bar.
- belowAt a lower position
- mediocrityQuality of being average
- bare minimumSmallest acceptable quantity
- good enoughMeeting minimum standards
- benchmarkStandard for comparison
set the standard · complacency · cut corners · easy way out · compromise · decline · precedent · erosion · race to the bottom · criteria · education · soften · dilute · baseline · competition · dumbing down · watered down · sportsmanship