Synonym Chooser

How does the noun criterion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of criterion are gauge, standard, touchstone, and yardstick. While all these words mean "a means of determining what a thing should be," criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not.

questioned the critic's criteria for excellence

When is gauge a more appropriate choice than criterion?

While in some cases nearly identical to criterion, gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (such as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect.

polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction

When could standard be used to replace criterion?

Although the words standard and criterion have much in common, standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority.

standards of behavior

When is it sensible to use touchstone instead of criterion?

The meanings of touchstone and criterion largely overlap; however, touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible.

fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

How do yardstick and criterion relate to one another?

Yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality.

housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of criterion Per The Athletic’s criteria, Liverpool have conceded seven back-post chances in total this season. Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 Star Ratings, based in Australia, measures hotels in over 70 countries on a set of 200 different criteria that provide them a ranking between one and five stars. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2025 Aaron Scott, a partner at Dechert in London, noted that CLOs issued since 2013 benefit from improved structural protections put in place in the years following the 2008 Global Financial Crisis — such as lower leverage, stricter ratings criteria and tougher tests on the underlying loan collateral. Hugh Leask, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 Julie Hall, a spokesperson for the city of Sacramento, said the opening of centers is based on criteria based on the National Weather Service stated conditions. Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for criterion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criterion
Noun
  • At the 2025 American Diabetes Association conference in July, Polsky presented several new updates to the organization’s standards for care during pregnancy.
    Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Hegseth in September called for service members in combat roles to meet the highest male standards for physical fitness.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Multiple board members cited the ability to make the time commitment and experience in K-12 education as desirable characteristics.
    Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2025
  • While Cab Franc’s aromas and flavors vary depending on where it is grown, winemakers and wine lovers alike are captivated by its combination of fruity and savory characteristics.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Most cotton benchmarks decreased over the past month.
    SJ Guest Editorial, Sourcing Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
  • My trading algorithm brings rules and discipline to options traders and is beating the benchmarks—see it in action here .
    Nishant Pant, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • New episodes drop every Wednesday and feature interviews with artists and personalities like Lainey Wilson, Hardy, Charley Crockett, Gavin Adcock, Amanda Shires, Margo Price, Dusty Slay, Lukas Nelson, Ashley Monroe, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor, and Clever.
    Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The doc feature records a news report on Taj Erlander, Swedish prime minister during much of Wallenberg’s imprisonment, admitting as much, conceding that his government had failed one of its greatest citizens by not pressing hard for his release.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • For their part, Max and Christian fight before docking and exchange some F-bombs on the bow just for good measure.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2025
  • And a fourth-quarter catch-and-run from tight end Theo Johnson — on a pass that popped into the air off the hands of Wan’Dale Robinson — perfectly summed up the day, as Johnson put rookie corner Jahdae Barron in the turf for good measure.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Meantime, continued strength at LongHorn has been driven by improving taste, service and quality metrics, per the analyst.
    Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Donate today to preserve the quality and integrity of local journalism.
    Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In astrology, each zodiac sign falls under one of four elements — Earth, Fire, Water, or Air — and each carries its own traits.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
  • But to argue that any of this research adds up to a substantial account of intelligence misunderstands the nature of such human traits and what can be expected from scientific explanations of them.
    Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Other attributes make the Lions’ offense difficult to stop, too.
    Jesse Newell, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Bitcoin brings a different but equally powerful set of attributes.
    Luke Xie, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Criterion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criterion. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on criterion

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!