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

Adults who met the guideline of 150 minutes of exercise per week had a modest 8 to 9% lower cardiovascular risk.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Advisers today consider this guideline outdated and oversimplified because it relies on static assumptions that don’t reflect modern retirement realities such as longer life expectancies, unexpected healthcare expenses and market downturns.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

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

He said that my guideline should be whatever I felt was wise—whatever was in the general good interests of our Nation of Islam.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Sheer Health’s team let me know that it helps with claims like mine frequently since physical- and occupational-therapy claims are the most commonly denied, thanks to timed treatment units and strict medical-necessity guidelines.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026

Schleicher called on governments to provide clear guidelines, and consider whether AI could be used in a targeted way to support teaching rather than to "give quicker answers" to students.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

A patient version of the guidelines has also been developed to help people better understand their condition and participate more confidently in shared decisions with their healthcare providers.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026

The university stressed that it has policies regarding the engagement of “outside entities who interact with ASU student-athletes” and heat-illness guidelines for outdoor workouts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

Although this attitude wasn’t uncommon at the time, NIH guidelines stipulated that all human subject research funded by NIH—as McKusick’s was —required both informed consent and approval from a Hopkins review board.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

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