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

"This new guideline will help improve consistency of care, increase awareness of the condition, and support earlier diagnosis and management."

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

They further suggest that clinicians, guideline panels, and regulatory agencies "should re-evaluate their general recommendations for calcium and vitamin D supplementation in light of current evidence."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 15, 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

Tahoe straddles California and Nevada, plus several local counties and towns, often with differing guidelines on something as basic as stowing garbage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

The eventual aim of Moen's research is to develop clear clinical guidelines that might help shift workers and others with disrupted sleep patterns.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

The World Health Organization estimates that around 7 million people die from air pollution annually, while 99% of the world’s population lives somewhere that is exposed to air pollution levels above WHO health guidelines.

From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026

Dror, a partial owner of the property, said that state bond guidelines do not prohibit an owner from providing matching funds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

There were ninety-nine guidelines, all of which we had to memorize, governing the minutiae of inmate life.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

Related Words

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