criteria

noun

variants also criterions
plural of criterion
1
as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared one criterion for grading these essays will be their conformity to the rules of traditional grammar

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in characteristics
something that sets apart an individual from others of the same kind an exceptionally high degree of physical risk is the preeminent criterion of an extreme sport

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 criteria Last month, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton and lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Gloria Romero issued a similar letter urging the UC Board of Regents to reinstate the SAT as part of UC admissions criteria. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Customer communication is one of the primary criteria enterprise clients are using to evaluate whether their logistics partner is keeping pace. — William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026 Picking which projects to back, Yang says, comes down to a specific set of criteria. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 The company’s denim production also meets criteria for Bluesign certification, which ensures safe chemicals, low environmental impact and worker safety. — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026 Honestly, the criteria was sort of intense because Bruiser had to be a little puppy. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026 In 2024, roughly 36% of men who used cannabis met the criteria for CUD. — Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Many survivors don’t meet criteria for PTSD but struggle with feeling distressed, depressed or anxious. — Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026 Daniels is also not yet eligible, under LSU rules, to have his jersey retired, as the school has a five-year waiting period listed as one of its criteria for jersey retirement. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criteria
  1. standards
  2. characteristics
  3. benchmarks
  4. qualities
  5. features
  6. attributes
  7. traits
  8. attributions
Noun
  • Rooms are spacious by Tokyo standards and reliably comfortable, with the service consistency that makes Marriott a default for travelers who don't want any (unpleasant) surprises.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Crib standards also change, as drop-sided cribs were banned from manufacture in 2011, with the most recent crib regulation update being August 1, 2026.
    — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • Its license plate readers capture plate numbers along with vehicle characteristics such as make, model and color, and some Flock systems can identify distinguishing features such as bumper stickers or aftermarket modifications.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • El Niño and La Niña are different phases of the same system—the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a large-scale climate pattern whose oceanic and atmospheric characteristics occur in and above the east-central Pacific Ocean.
    — John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of characteristics
Noun
  • To update standards, the department recruits a committee of educators and experts from around the state who meet over several months and produce a recommendation for course descriptions and grade-level expectations and benchmarks.
    — Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Right, their capabilities are defined in terms of these benchmarks.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of benchmarks
Noun
  • Both movies share more than a few qualities, notably the same love of infinite interzones and the same flavor of exponentially increasing existential dread.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Are there leadership qualities that have ascended in importance and others that have descended?
    — Steve Karp, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of qualities
Noun
  • The family also built features specifically for its youngest members.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • One of Brady’s favorite features is the retractable wall that can split the training room into two separate spaces.
    — Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of features
Noun
  • To the surprise of probably no one, these attributes carry over beautifully into the work of country songwriting.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 25 Aug. 2026
  • However, these material attributes do not always reduce environmental impacts.
    — Erin Victor, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of attributes
Noun
  • These are potentially key traits for Emery this season, given the number of departures this summer, including Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne, Youri Tielemans and Ezri Konsa.
    — Aston Villa, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
  • While tech billionaires such as Elon Musk and Marc Andreessen may see empathy and introspection as weaknesses, those traits are the beating heart of literature and art, the wellspring of creativity and human connection.
    — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of traits
Noun
  • In two cases, the publishers added specific attributions, as had been required of Miller’s book.
    — Jessica Meszaros, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The work has bounced between several attributions over the years before scholar Giuseppe Porzio identified it as a painting by Glielmo, giving bidders a fresh reason to take notice.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 June 2026
Definition of attributions

Browse Nearby Words

crisscrossing
criteria
criterion
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Criteria.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criteria. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of cogent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All