par

noun

ˈpär How to pronounce par (audio)
Definition of parnext
1
as in standard
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared that last dining experience was not quite up to par

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in equivalence
the state or fact of being exactly the same in number, amount, status, or quality these California wines are on a par with the best produced in Europe

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in average
what is typical of a group, class, or series a pulse of 70 is par for people of that age group

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 par In a recent industry research survey of more than 500 IoT professionals, manufacturers rated managing devices across the life cycle as a priority on par with launching new products. — Thomas Ryd, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are generally on par with other vaccines, including tenderness at the injection site and a small chance of allergic reaction. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026 That's about on par with the Moto Razr Fold's IP48/IP49 rating. — Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026 The condo’s listing price is on par with a new ultra-luxury development on the island, The Mansions at Fisher Island. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for par
Recent Examples of Synonyms for par
  1. standard
  2. equivalence
  3. average
  4. criterion
  5. equivalency
  6. normal
  7. benchmark
  8. equality
Noun
  • But a team with a high GPA, to me, that shows there is a standard in your program, and everyone is aligned to it.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Construction accidents are common in India, where rapid infrastructure growth often collides with fragile geology, construction lapses, extreme weather and safety standards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of standard
Noun
  • That’s a false equivalence a lot of the time.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
  • There are journalists curious about making the leap, journalists who already made it and want to evangelize, and journalists who are furious at him for making some kind of equivalence between these jobs and journalism.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 June 2026
Definition of equivalence
Noun
  • Over the past decade, Louisiana reported an average of seven cases and one death each year, according to that state’s Department of Health.
    — Alex Nettles, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In a settlement, SimonMed agreed to issue refunds within an average of 60 days.
    — Julie Appleby, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of average
Noun
  • There are no minimum credit score requirements for VA, USDA and conventional mortgage loans that meet certain criteria.
    — Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The league could create some sort of criteria out of thin air — most of these trans arguments are created out of thin air, so this would be easy — and wiggle their way out of the mess that way.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of criterion
Noun
  • The measure also prohibits undocumented students from enrolling in adult general education programs in high schools and state colleges, which help prepare those taking the GED exam for the equivalency of a high school diploma.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026
  • There’s an equivalency with Platner, and some of it has to do with a populist style of politics.
    — Nicholas Jacobs, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Definition of equivalency
Noun
  • But with climate change, the pace of this July’s flash flooding, and that of the past two years, may just be the new normal for mid-summer.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • But the idea of global water bankruptcy shows that in many places, there’s no old normal to go back to.
    — Sara Roversi, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of normal
Noun
  • Atlanta Public Schools improved on this year’s math, social studies and science exams at a rate that outpaced the state’s improvement benchmarks.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Taken together, Ukraine is seeking to field autonomous systems that are cheap, effective, and easy to use, while establishing clear benchmarks to measure their performance.
    — David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of benchmark
Noun
  • In this tobacco-growing valley, a Turkish-Muslim community devoted to faith, family and tradition allows gender equality to flourish quietly, rooted in the belief that all beings are equal.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But what occurs in classrooms has never been the primary obstacle to educational equality.
    — Sonia Murrow, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of equality

Phrases Containing par

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papules
par
parable
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Cite this Entry

“Par.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/par. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on par

Nglish: Translation of par for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about par

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