A sports image in which shifting the posts changes where a player must aim. Merriam-Webster records figurative use in Scotland in 1924, during a period when football organisations were also debating the physical position of goalposts.
A sports image in which shifting the posts changes where a player must aim. Merriam-Webster records figurative use in Scotland in 1924, during a period when football organisations were also debating the physical position of goalposts.
What does move the goalposts mean?
To move the goalposts is to change rules or demands during a process, usually making success unfairly harder.
Is move the goalposts negative?
Yes. It usually criticises a change as unfair, dishonest, or unreasonable.
Is shift the goalposts the same as move the goalposts?
Yes. Shift the goalposts is a common variant with the same meaning.
Can move the goalposts be used at work?
Yes. It often describes a manager or client changing targets, deadlines, or approval conditions after work has begun.
Where does move the goalposts come from?
It uses the sports image of changing the place a player must aim for, and figurative use is recorded from at least 1924.