yardstick

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noun yard·stick \ ˈyärd-ˌstik \

Definition of yardstick

1 a :a graduated measuring stick three feet (0.9144 meter) long

b :a standard basis of calculation

a yardstick for measuring astronomical distances

2 :a standard for making a critical judgment :criterion

measured by the yardstick of her first book

was a great success by any yardstick

See yardstick defined for English-language learners

See yardstick defined for kids

Examples of yardstick in a Sentence

Some feel that test scores aren't an adequate yardstick for judging a student's ability.
Ratings are the yardstick by which TV shows are evaluated by networks.

Recent Examples of yardstick from the Web

Delta Air Lines Inc. also recorded a sharp drop in the same yardstick.

— bloomberg news, NOLA.com, "Low-cost European airlines pressure U.S. competition to cut fares," 21 Aug. 2017
The child told the guardian at pickup that Gainer used a yardstick, but the 4-year-old’s description of the tool sounded more like a ruler, police said.

— gal tziperman lotan, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Day care teacher's assistant accused of hitting child with ruler," 11 Aug. 2017
The College Board rapped Scripps Ranch’s knuckles with 8-foot yardsticks. •

— logan jenkins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Lesson from botched AP tests? Life ain't fair," 13 July 2017
The measure largely uses people’s incomes as the yardstick for helping those without workplace coverage to buy private insurance.

— ricardo alonso-zaldivar, The Seattle Times, "McConnell faces hunt for GOP votes for Senate health bill," 23 June 2017
The measure largely uses people's incomes as the yardstick for helping those without workplace coverage to buy private insurance.

— alan fram and regina garcia cano, chicagotribune.com, "New blow to GOP health bill: Nevada GOP Sen. Heller says he opposes it," 23 June 2017
By averaging the scoring in the previous four yardsticks of consistency, my spreadsheet says California gets a middle-of-the-pack 26th ranking, sandwiched between Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

— jonathan lansner, Orange County Register, "Analysis: California economy isn’t as crazy as you think," 18 June 2017
The argument for a complete-market-cycle yardstick was made by Ryan Leggio and Steven Romick of FPA Funds, a Los Angeles fund manager, in an article in the Fall 2015 issue of the Journal of Portfolio Management.

— john coumarianos, WSJ, "A Fund’s ‘Peak’ Performance Matters," 4 June 2017
Many investors don’t look at how funds performed during the complete cycle of a bull and bear market, instead relying on typical industry yardsticks such as one-, three- and five-year returns.

— john coumarianos, WSJ, "A Fund’s ‘Peak’ Performance Matters," 4 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'yardstick.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of yardstick

1610

yardstick Synonyms

Synonyms

bar, barometer, benchmark, criterion, gold standard, grade, mark, measure, metric, par, touchstone, standard

Related Words

case, example, instance; average, norm, rule; acme, apex, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, zenith

Near Antonyms

aberration, abnormality, deviation

Synonym Discussion of yardstick

standard, criterion, gauge, yardstick, touchstone mean a means of determining what a thing should be. standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority.

- standards of behavior

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

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

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

- housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible.

- fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

YARDSTICK Defined for English Language Learners

yardstick

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noun

Definition of yardstick for English Language Learners

: a long, flat tool that is one yard long and is used to measure things
: a rule or specific idea about what is acceptable or desirable that is used to judge or measure something