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Glite Dictionary
procrustean standard

procrustean standard

9.9
A strict rule applied to everyone without room for differences
  • noun
  • /prəˈkrʌstiːən ˈstændərd/
  • Formal
translation icon : estándar procrusteano
  • Applying a procrustean standard to education ignores the unique needs of each student.

Examples

  • Many criticize bureaucracy for imposing a procrustean standard that stifles innovation.

  • The company's procrustean standard for employee behavior left no room for creativity or individuality.

  • The company imposed a procrustean standard on all employees.

  • Many educational systems use procrustean standards that ignore student individuality.

  • Applying a procrustean standard to education overlooks the diverse needs of each student.

  • Critics argue that a procrustean standard in the workplace suppresses individual creativity.

  • The organization's procrustean standard on performance evaluations failed to account for different roles.

Synonyms

Procrustean rule
vsprocrustean standard
  • Formal
9.9

A strict rule applied the same to everyone that ignores personal differences

is the same idea but expressed as a formal institutional noun
procrustean bed
vsprocrustean standard
  • Formal
9.9

A strict system that forces everyone to be the same

is the same idea but uses a metaphorical concrete image form

Antonyms

individualization
1 7.0

Making something fit one person's needs

How Rigid

draconian
  • Formal
28 8.9
procrustean standard
  • Formal
9.9
rule
∞ 1.0
standard
∞ 1.6
guideline
344 3.1
suggestion
759 1.4

Surface Forms

procrustean standard singular
procrustean standards plural

Morphology

Procrustean + standard

The adjective 'Procrustean' means 'forcing uniformity in a harsh manner', so combining it with 'standard' yields a directly compositional meaning: a rigidly applied rule that enforces uniformity. This follows a normal adjective+noun pattern in English, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Procrustean standard comes from an old Greek story about a man named Procrustes who forced visitors to fit his bed by stretching them or cutting off parts that did not fit. So today a procrustean standard means a rule that forces everyone to be 'the same' and ignores their differences.