How to Use rule of thumb in a Sentence

rule of thumb

noun phrase
  • As a rule of thumb, bring your own.
    — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
  • Here is a simple rule of thumb.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Grotts says a good rule of thumb is to follow what the hosts do.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2025
  • To err on the cautious side, two hours is a good rule of thumb.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Markets and life will change, and rules of thumb will rise and fall.
    — Tim Maurer, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • This is a smart rule of thumb for a couple of reasons.
    — Joe Moglia, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Putting an outlet every six feet is a good rule of thumb.
    — Lew Sichelman, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
  • That rule of thumb resonated with many in the thread.
    — Ryan Brennan march 12, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
  • That same rule of thumb goes for any type of flame source, like lighters or torches.
    — Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2026
  • As a rule of thumb, protein shakes should only be used to fill gaps.
    — Lindsey Desoto, Health, 30 Jan. 2026
  • That's probably the same price as a wind farm, as a rule of thumb.
    — Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The rule of thumb is to be at least one foot away from all other objects that can burn.
    — Staff Author, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2025
  • As for being on time, a good rule of thumb is that on time is late and early is on time.
    — Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
  • But there are rules of thumb that can serve as a general starting point.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 24 May 2026
  • The rule of thumb when planting bulbs is to place them at a depth that is three times the height of the bulb.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
  • As a rule of thumb, water your vegetable garden two to three times per week.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 9 June 2026
  • As a rule of thumb, water your vegetable garden two to three times per week.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
  • For most healthy adults, drinking to satisfy thirst is a good rule of thumb.
    — Lindsey Desoto, Health, 19 Feb. 2026
  • It has been found that even when using the old rule of thumb, many trees are still planted too deeply.
    — Larry Figart, Florida Times-Union, 14 Jan. 2026
  • The rule of thumb is to stay three bus lengths away from deer and elk and 10 bus lengths from wolves and bears.
    — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
  • The color of your urine is a good rule of thumb for your hydration level.
    — Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 22 June 2026
  • But usually a quarter cup of water is a good rule of thumb once a week.
    — Ryan Conner, Dallas Morning News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • As a rule of thumb, plant tomatoes in late spring after the threat of frost has passed for the season.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
  • As a rule of thumb, never remove more than one-third of a plant’s stems or branches in one go.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
  • But in general, cleaning it twice weekly is a good rule of thumb.
    — Brian Mastroianni, Health, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Nguyen says the rule of thumb most chefs follow is to store bacon grease in the freezer for up to a year.
    — Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 24 Feb. 2026
  • The rule of thumb is to order two per person, but there’s freedom to add more as the night goes on.
    — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • But leaving a half hour or so after dessert or tea is served is a good rule of thumb, Meier said.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
  • Because as temperatures drop and the leaves change, so does the rule of thumb.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The rule of thumb is to plant smaller plants with low water needs at the top of the embankment.
    — The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rule of thumb.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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