Say it like this
- Our design team really pushes the envelope.
- We're pushing the envelope with a two-week deadline.
- I want to push the envelope on load times this quarter.
Use it at work
Praising
- You really pushed the envelope on this.
- This team keeps raising the bar.
Warning
- We're pushing the envelope with this timeline.
- That's a stretch for one sprint.
Setting goals
- Let's push the envelope on page speed.
- I want us to aim higher this quarter.
Don't say this
It is a fixed idiom: always singular "the envelope".
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| push the envelope | go beyond normal limits | everyone | ambition and risk |
| push back | delay, or disagree | everyone | dates, decisions |
| raise the bar | set a higher standard | everyone | quality |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your team built a feature no competitor has tried. Which sentence fits?
2. Two major launches in one week? We're really pushing the _______.
3. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
4. Rewrite with 'push the envelope': 'Our team always tries to go beyond what other companies think is possible.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Our design team really pushes the envelope."
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More about push the envelope
Real examples(3)
- in a performance review
"Lena keeps pushing the envelope on test automation; our release time halved this year."
- in a planning meeting
"Shipping the redesign and the migration in one sprint is pushing the envelope."
- in a product announcement
"With this release, we're pushing the envelope on what a browser app can do offline."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Context decides if it's praise or a warning. Make your meaning clear.
- ✕Push the envelope the deadline.✓Push the deadline back. / Push the envelope on speed.
To move a date, say "push back". "Push the envelope" is about limits.
- ✕Can you push the envelope to finance?✓Can you send the envelope to finance?
In this idiom there is no real envelope.
Other forms(2)
- pushing the envelope -ing
"They're always pushing the envelope."
- push the envelope on X with on
"We pushed the envelope on performance."
Often used with(3)
- push the envelope on · in a specific area
- keep pushing the envelope · continued ambition
- pushing the envelope with · taking a risk with
Similar words(3)
- raise the bar · set a higher standard
- break new ground · do something new
- stretch · an ambitious goal
Opposites(2)
- play it safe
- business as usual
Questions(4)
- What does push the envelope mean?
- It means to go beyond normal limits and try something bolder or more advanced.
- Is push the envelope positive?
- Usually yes, as praise for ambition. It can also warn that a plan is too risky.
- Where does push the envelope come from?
- From aviation: the "flight envelope" was the safe performance limit of a plane, which test pilots pushed.
- Is it the same as push back?
- No. "Push back" means to delay or to disagree. "Push the envelope" means to go beyond limits.
