barometers

noun

plural of barometer
as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared a legendary Broadway flop that has subsequently become the barometer by which failure in the theater is judged

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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 barometers Investors and borrowers will instead focus on Wednesday's release of the Fed's Summary of Economic Projections, a report that distills the FOMC's forecasts for unemployment, GDP growth and other barometers. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 16 June 2026 That’s what makes pilots the best barometers for how well a piece of luggage works. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 24 May 2026 The mercury barometers in the observers’ office — one of which the observatory believes to be the oldest such instrument in active daily use in the United States — are a case in point. — Laura Martin Agudelo, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 And assets under management are poor barometers of a venture fund’s success, generally. — Ben Weiss, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026 And besides that, with their hard-fought Final Four victories Friday over Texas and Connecticut, respectively, barometers for other programs that dream of ascending to such elite heights. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026 The barometers for our rankings include Opta’s projections for the remainder of their campaign, the teams’ performances in 2025-26, relative squad strength and their history in the competition. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2026 Besides, the issue is further complicated by the fact that there are so many barometers of greatness. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 24 Feb. 2026 Look at all economic barometers, social gains, and life span increases. — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barometers
  1. standards
  2. criteria
  3. benchmarks
  4. metrics
Noun
  • Inspectors have found hundreds of allegedly fictitious facilities, while at least 833 kitchens have been shut down for failing to meet hygiene and sanitation standards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Both choices will serve students when faculty are clear about their ambitions and standards.
    — Sian Leah Beilock, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • The order gives Interior Secretary Doug Burgum 90 days to determine whether the wolves have met federal recovery criteria for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Loving dogs, and wanting to help people in need, are two of the biggest criteria for raisers to become a perfect match with Canine Companions.
    — Patricia Babcock McGraw OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of criteria
Noun
  • The company plans to expand the initiative with additional datasets, benchmarks, and research resources.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Because development is heavily driven by optimizing for isolated internal benchmarks rather than cohesive user workflows, the AI looks excellent on research charts but feels fragmented and rigid in real-world application.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of benchmarks
Noun
  • But the hope is that QBI provides a better picture of quarterback quality than the traditional stats (passing touchdowns, passing yards, completion rate) as well as the more advanced metrics (EPA and success rate).
    — Austin Mock, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Evaluation metrics also change frequently, as new ones get created.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of metrics

Browse Nearby Words

barometer
barometers
baron
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Cite this Entry

“Barometers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barometers. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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