rule of thumb

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Their rule of thumb is that a sustained 10% increase in oil boosts the inflation rate by 0.2 percentage points, and the core inflation rate by 0.04 points.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

“My usual rule of thumb is, move the decimal point one place to the left,” Matheson said.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

By comparison, the “100 minus your age” rule of thumb yields 2% less utility than that perfect portfolio.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

One rule of thumb Everstine has is that "if the price seems too good to be true, that should be a red flag".

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026

“Over the years military planners have arrived at a rule of thumb which dictates that functional fighting units cannot be substantially larger than 200 men,” Dunbar writes.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell