guideline

noun

guide·​line ˈgīd-ˌlīn 

: a line by which one is guided: such as

a

: a cord or rope to aid a passer over a difficult point or to permit retracing a course

b

: an indication or outline of policy or conduct

new guidelines on nutrition

Examples of guideline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In Maryland, utility bills may get cheaper and the health department will stop relying on CDC vaccine guidelines. — Liam Bowman, Washington Post, 30 June 2026

For decades, medical guidelines advised against all hormones – from estrogen to testosterone – for all breast cancer survivors. — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Texas law doesn’t explicitly state how old a child must be to stay at home alone, but the state does offer guidelines to parents to help make the discernment. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026

With guidelines offering literally decades behind bars as an option, the still Jay Clayton-run SDNY had wanted to see Rinsch get a minimum of 60 months, or just over five years, for his crimes. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 29 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for guideline

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

Kids Definition

guideline

noun

guide·​line ˈgīd-ˌlīn 

1

: a line by which one is guided

2

: an outline of standards for future policy or action