along the lines of

Idioms  

1. Also, on the lines of. Roughly similar or in keeping with. For example, We told the architect we want a design along the lines of his own house but smaller, or Jane asked the caterer for a menu on the lines of the Morgans' wedding reception. This idiom uses line in the sense of “a direction or procedure,” a usage dating from the early 1600s.

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Example Sentences

That text or push notification from an airline saying something along the lines of, “Your flight has been canceled. Here’s your new itinerary,” can upend your entire trip.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026

Living as a minority, you often get questions along the lines of, “What kind of painful things have you experienced?”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

Passed by the National Assembly in December, the law focuses on the risks posed by generative AI, requiring human oversight and control along the lines of the European Union's landmark AI Act.

From Barron's • Feb. 28, 2026

Perna said his standard advice was along the lines of, “Why are you knocking on that door? You should be over here.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

I’m sure he will, eventually, to say something along the lines of, “Good effort. Just keep working hard.”

From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman