high standards

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   A strong expectation that work, behavior or quality must reach an excellent level, applied to yourself or to others.

   Grammar: Always plural in this sense, and often followed by of: high standards of hygiene.

   Patterns

   • high standards of something
   • set high standards for someone
   • have high standards

   The restaurant is famous for its high standards of cleanliness.

   My coach has high standards and never accepts a lazy effort.

   The school sets high standards for both pupils and staff.

2. 2nounpluralinformal

   A demanding set of personal requirements for what you will accept, especially in a partner or friend.

   Grammar: Used about personal choices: she has high standards in friends.

   Patterns

   • have high standards when it comes to something

   She has high standards when it comes to choosing a partner.

   With such high standards, he finds it hard to enjoy any film.

Common combinations

maintain high standards

The hospital works hard to maintain high standards of care.

set high standards

The new manager set high standards from her first day.

meet high standards

The factory must meet high standards of safety.

hold someone to high standards

Parents should hold themselves to the same high standards as their children.

high standards of hygiene

Food workers must follow high standards of hygiene.

Synonyms and how they differ

exacting standards

Exacting standards stresses how hard they are to satisfy, and sounds more formal and a little critical.

strict standards

Strict standards focuses on rules being enforced firmly rather than on excellence itself.

quality

Quality names how good something is, while high standards names the expectation that demands it.

perfectionism

Perfectionism is a habit of mind that demands flawlessness and is usually seen as a weakness, unlike the mostly positive high standards.

Opposites

Word family

standard noun

a level of quality or a rule to measure by

standard adjective

normal or usual

standardize verb

make things follow the same rules

substandard adjective

below the required quality

Commonly confused: high standards or high stakes?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “high standards”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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