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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Recent Examples of barometers
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
And special elections, while useful metrics, are far from perfect barometers of public opinion.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026
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
And special elections, while useful metrics, are far from perfect barometers of public opinion.
—Charlie Hunt, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barometers
Noun
-
Among other changes, the law requires health officials to inspect the Aurora facility at least every three months to ensure the detention center abides by safety standards related to food and water quality, confinement conditions and medical services.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
The legislation clarifies the definition of data centers and allows the state Department of Environmental Quality to set the standards for data centers’ water usage, NC Newsline reported.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The Justice Department hasn’t formed the five-member commission that will decide on payout criteria, so there has been no money paid out yet or claims accepted.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
-
And a few weeks after that, the insurer went even further, changing its coverage policy to include deep brain stimulation for some children and teens who meet clinical criteria.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Both policies tied school funding to standardized test performance, meaning that schools that failed to meet testing benchmarks were recommended for closure and charter conversion.—
Julia McWilliams,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
-
Without clear benchmarks, brands waste money on campaigns that might feel successful but don’t move the needle.—
Wyles Daniel
June 4,
Idaho Statesman,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, MongoDB also posted a first-quarter beat for all three metrics.—
Davis Giangiulio,Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
-
Framing had been a weakness in Smith’s game in recent seasons, according to Statcast’s catching metrics.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barometers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barometers. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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