guideline

American  

[gahyd-lahyn] / ˈgaɪdˌlaɪn /

noun

guidelines plural

1. any guide or indication of a future course of action.

   guidelines on the government's future policy.

2. a lightly marked line used as a guide, as in composing a drawing, a typed page, or a line of lettering.

3. a rope or cord that serves to guide one's steps, especially over rocky terrain, through underground passages, etc.

4. a rope or wire used in guiding the movement of stage scenery or curtains being raised or lowered.

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guideline British  

/ ˈɡaɪdˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a principle put forward to set standards or determine a course of action

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• guidelines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of guideline

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85; guide + line ¹

Explanation

A guideline is a rule-of-thumb or suggestion that shows or tells you how to behave. If you want to stay healthy, you might want to follow the government's dietary guidelines. Sample guideline: go easy on the salt. In the 18th century, guideline referred to an actual line that you drew on fabric before cutting. So for example, if you wanted to cut a piece of linen to make a dress, you'd draw a guideline on it first to make sure the incision would be straight. The line guided your cut; over time, the word became a metaphor for a guide to any sort of action.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

guideline guidelines

In addition to announcing that agency staff must now get Aronowitz’s sign-off before any major enforcement action, it set a new guideline for investigators.

From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026

Yet adults need only around this amount of vitamin B12 each day, depending on the guideline used, to support red blood cells, nerves and DNA production.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026

Children 12 and older with obesity should be offered medication as well, the guideline says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

It is a widely used guideline, but only a guideline and not a guarantee of success.

From MarketWatch ● May 21, 2026

I realized then why he had used our rope sparingly; why he had made my guideline down to east beach from vines instead of rope.

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor

I think it’s really important to not come down on them, citing facts and figures and pointing to guidelines on why they need to get their kids vaccinated.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

“It’s going to be harder because we don’t have the guidelines or protections that the Voting Rights Act had given us, or that my mother’s blood gave us.”

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

CMS could also issue guidelines setting caps on payments to providers, though legislation might be required to make this stick.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

Early in the outbreak, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued specific safety guidelines for raspberries, urging people to cook them or eat them frozen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

To be historically accurate, according to the guidelines, major native cultures must be shown displaying “a proper reverence for the gift of life.”

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• code
• ground rule
• guidance
• instruction
• protocol
• rule