draw the line

phrase

variants or draw a line

1

: to fix an arbitrary (see arbitrary sense 1b) boundary between things that tend to intermingle

drawing a line between good and bad art

2

: to fix a boundary excluding what one will not tolerate or engage in

helps clean the house but draws the line at washing windows

Examples of draw the line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

However, when Damon bowed out to star in The Odyssey, Affleck took over the role and, well, that’s where Garner drew the line. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2026

That is where Apollo draws the line between measurement and the audit. — Malana Vantyler, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Across the country, professors themselves are still trying to determine where to draw the line on AI use. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

And where did one draw the line, anyway, between allowable excess and disruptive public discourse? — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for draw the line

• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine
• caroline
• centerline