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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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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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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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 That includes this past Thursday through Sunday when an unsightly final-round 7-over-par 77 dropped him to 29th place in a 29-person field at the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2026 Ehudin and eight other golfers moved on to the par-4, 385-yard 10th, where Ehudin made an up-and-down to save par. — Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2026 Ryan Gerard, one shot behind Hovland staring out, made double bogey on the opening hole, followed with 13 straight pars and shot 72 to finish alone in third. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 The routing features three par 3s, three par 4s and three par 5s, but what makes the nine particularly unique is a stretch of six consecutive holes without a par 4. — Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 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
  • Again, that’s our standards that are created jointly with the NFLPA.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • While the standard, annual tests are still necessary, a woman in midlife needs more than just a blood pressure check.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of standard
Noun
  • The great physicist Albert Einstein had predicted in his theory of gravity an equivalence principle, which the scientists wondered, applied to quantum objects as well.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Although there is no moral equivalence between the two, both are manifestations of the same problem.
    — Rina Amiri, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of equivalence
Noun
  • Entering Tuesday night, only four qualifying hitters in the American League had an average that high this season.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Colorado officials report twice as many bear sightings and conflicts with humans this year compared with the average, including bears roaming where they aren't normally found.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of average
Noun
  • Maximum temperatures are expected in the upper 80s and lower 90s with peak heat indices reaching 100-107 degrees ahead of daily storms, but below heat advisory criteria.
    — Felix Rodriguez, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The order gives Interior Secretary Doug Burgum 90 days to determine whether the wolves have met federal recovery criteria for delisting or downlisting under the Endangered Species Act.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 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
  • Our extended winter weather forecasts emphasize temperature and precipitation deviations from averages, or normals.
    — Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of normal
Noun
  • Before the law went into effect in October 2024, the state Department of Public Health specified in a memo to hospital administrators that each hospital department must comply with the 80% benchmark.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Labor Day Weekend Headphones Deals The Bose QuietComfort headphones remain the industry benchmark for silencing everyday distractions.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of benchmark
Noun
  • Steinem, who died this past week at the age of 92, refused to accept sports, in particular, as a patriarchy, working to create paths for equality for women who chose to compete on the same level with men.
    — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Gloria Steinem, the pioneering feminist, journalist, and activist who spent more than six decades fighting for women’s equality, died on September 2, 2026, at age 92.
    — Gloria Steinem, Glamour, 4 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about par

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