the gold standard
noun
1
: a system in which a unit of money (such as the dollar) is equal to a particular amount of gold
The United States was still on the gold standard in the early 20th century.
2
: something that is considered to be the best and that is used to judge the quality or level of other, similar things
This car is the gold standard for luxury automobiles.
the gold standard of stylish resorts
Examples of the gold standard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The chipmaker remains the gold standard in AI computing.
—
Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
That’s the gold standard of cancer designations that allows patients and donators alike to understand Sylvester’s standards.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Their helmets are lightweight but far from fragile, with integrated ventilation, seamless MIPS integration (the gold standard for this class of helmet), and just a touch more coverage at the temples and back of the head than other brands.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
Uhls agrees — the big blue guy is the gold standard.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the gold standard
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Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
That’s the gold standard of cancer designations that allows patients and donators alike to understand Sylvester’s standards.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Their helmets are lightweight but far from fragile, with integrated ventilation, seamless MIPS integration (the gold standard for this class of helmet), and just a touch more coverage at the temples and back of the head than other brands.
—Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
Uhls agrees — the big blue guy is the gold standard.
—Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the gold standard
Cite this Entry
“The gold standard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20gold%20standard. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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