“Move the goalposts”
Definition
To change the rules or requirements unfairly.
Examples
Examples
“They keep moving the goalposts after each review.”
Use this idiom in context
Rewrite this example in plain English without the idiom. Preserve who is speaking, the time and the meaning.
They keep moving the goalposts after each review.Compare with the original example
They keep moving the goalposts after each review.
Write a two-line conversation using “Move the goalposts”. Make the situation clear enough that a reader can infer the meaning. Then replace the idiom with a plain-English explanation: does your conversation still mean the same thing?
Check the expression in a dictionaryFrequently asked questions
- What does "Move the goalposts" mean?
- "Move the goalposts" means to change the rules or requirements unfairly.
- How do you use "Move the goalposts" in a sentence?
- Example: "They keep moving the goalposts after each review."
- What is the Russian or Armenian translation of "Move the goalposts"?
- Нечестно менять правила или требования. / Անարդարացիորեն փոխել կանոնները կամ պահանջները։