Synonym Chooser

How does the noun criterion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of criterion are gauge, standard, touchstone, and yardstick. While all these words mean "a means of determining what a thing should be," 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

When is gauge a more appropriate choice than criterion?

While in some cases nearly identical to criterion, 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

When could standard be used to replace criterion?

Although the words standard and criterion have much in common, standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority.

standards of behavior

When is it sensible to use touchstone instead of criterion?

The meanings of touchstone and criterion largely overlap; however, touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible.

fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

How do yardstick and criterion relate to one another?

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

housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

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 criterion The new framework provides design criteria for maximizing a material’s energy absorption based on several variables. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025 Additionally, high school students living in west Louisville can apply to any JCPS magnet, though transportation is only provided to some students attending certain schools, and these programs have stringent application criteria. Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025 In general, massiveness and amount of brooming are the two most obvious criteria. Tim Kelly, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025 The ecological assessment tool estimates a product’s impact—based on criteria like weight and composition—developed as an open-source tool within the framework of the various French constitutional digital incubators and accelerators. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for criterion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criterion
Noun
  • The company could work with the government to determine if a waiver could be granted without violating standards such as patient privacy, safety and consumer protection.
    Emily Wilkins, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Microsoft’s donation of DocumentDB to the Linux Foundation marks a strategic shift in the NoSQL database landscape, creating the first vendor-neutral document database standard that could reshape how enterprises approach data architecture decisions.
    Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Mastantuono, 18, has the characteristics to contribute from a deeper position, but his signing was intended for more attacking areas, as is being seen.
    Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Changeability is the unique characteristic of women.
    Clifford Coonan, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Arya is hoping the Modern Market 100 will give investors a framework to benchmark performance across both asset classes.
    Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • For example, much of the industry chases bragging rights on public benchmarks, which rank models on tasks like math or logic puzzles.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The two tablets share a similar design and many specs, while carrying over some features from previous generations.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
  • But only a small percentage of people who used The Browser Company’s Arc adopted the program’s special features.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Creating a condensate from radioactive atoms has never been achieved, and the experiment would require extreme precision and strict safety measures.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The former Prime Minister’s proposal included measures like freezing a significant amount of welfare spending and doing away with two public holidays.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Moderate air quality in general is expected though areas immediately north and west of the fire could see up to unhealthy air quality.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Both are designed to bring café-quality coffee to the home kitchen with zero fuss.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Those traits all kind of culminated in me joining the Kansas City Defender around the time of the protests.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Shoddy-Mushroom-8456/Shoddy-Mushroom-8456 Others thought Bella could be a Goldador—a popular cross between a golden retriever and a Labrador retriever, combining the traits of both breeds.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Documenting positive attributes such as community involvement, steady employment, family support, and other meaningful contributions is also a wise move.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Lazar said the key attribute a successful prime minister must now have is the ability to unify the blocs of the National Assembly, which want to avoid another dissolution of parliament.
    Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Criterion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criterion. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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