litmus test

noun

Definition of litmus testnext
as in challenge
something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that is used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable The party is using attitudes about gun control as a litmus test for political candidates.

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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 litmus test Add in the race and religion factors animating the race, and Tuesday’s primary in Michigan could lay bare which litmus tests are likely to shape the 2028 presidential contest. — Philip Elliott, Time, 3 Aug. 2026 Through a more critical lens, many in Hollywood will treat its box office result as a litmus test for Marvel’s health for 2026 and beyond. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 30 July 2026 The Tates’ triumphant return to Miami functioned as something of a litmus test for conservative personalities, with some declaring that their brand of masculinity had no place in the party. — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 29 July 2026 Patel viewed it more as a high-stakes litmus test of his wealthy audience’s altruism. — Anna Tong, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for litmus test
Recent Examples of Synonyms for litmus test
  1. challenge
  2. gauntlet
  3. acid test
  4. trial
  5. litmus
Noun
  • His comments ranged widely, covering the latest battlefield developments, efforts to counter Russian ballistic attacks, the state of peace negotiations, Ukraine’s budgetary challenges and the political turmoil surrounding Fedorov’s dismissal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • That ambiguity is echoed in Banks’ score, which takes on the tone of a lament and a celebration, frustration and hope, struggle and liberation, the quest for transcendence in the face of the challenges posed by daunting inequities.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of challenge
Noun
  • But before Bane can finish him off, Batman stabs a Batarang into a little knob on Bane’s wrist gauntlet, the one that controls his intake of Venom.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Ole Miss has to get through the SEC gauntlet of LSU, Florida and Vanderbilt before hosting the Tigers.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of gauntlet
Noun
  • Self-translation is the acid test for one’s writing.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
  • But the way Arsenal are performing, a very tight victory seems the most likely outcome before the acid test away to Manchester City next weekend.
    — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of acid test
Noun
  • The petition argues Mays’ language during the trial revealed something deeper than a poor defense strategy — a worldview that dehumanized the man he was supposed to defend.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For nearly four years, Lopez, 56, of Vancouver, Washington, has been at Santa Rita Jail waiting for this trial.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of trial
Noun
  • But if President Xi does make a move, whether by mounting a full-scale attack or using his military to blockade the island, the key question will be where such actions fall on the litmus scale.
    — Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2025
  • One of the best was the part about enjoying the season and not making playoff success your litmus for hockey fandom happiness.
    — Murat Ates, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
Definition of litmus

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litmus tests
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Cite this Entry

“Litmus test.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/litmus%20test. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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