moving the goal post

Meaning

1. 1phraseidiomfigurativeinformal

   Changing the rules or targets in the middle of an activity, usually unfairly, so that success becomes harder to reach.

   Grammar: Usually move the goalposts, followed by on someone: they moved the goalposts on us.

   Patterns

   • move the goalposts on someone
   • accuse someone of moving the goalposts

   Our manager keeps moving the goal post, so we never know what counts as success.

   Every time we finish the task, they add a new condition, which feels like moving the goal post.

   The students complained that the teacher was moving the goal post by changing the marking rules before the exam.

Common combinations

accuse someone of moving the goalposts

She accused the landlord of moving the goalposts.

keep moving the goalposts

They keep moving the goalposts every time we reach a target.

move the goalposts on someone

The council moved the goalposts on applicants halfway through the process.

moving the goalposts again

Isn't that just moving the goalposts again?

Synonyms and how they differ

changing the rules

Changing the rules is plain and literal, while moving the goalposts adds the idea that the change is unfair and comes late.

shifting the target

Shifting the target is a more neutral business phrase and does not carry the same sense of blame.

raising the bar

Raising the bar often means setting higher standards openly, whereas moving the goalposts means doing so unfairly or secretly.

changing the terms

Changing the terms is formal and often legal, and does not suggest bad faith as strongly.

Opposites

Word family

goalpost noun

one of the posts of a goal

goal noun

an aim or target

move verb

to change position

Commonly confused: moving the goal post or raising the bar?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “moving the goal post”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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