as in standards
something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared
his book has long been a touchstone for travel writing that aspires to be literature
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Recent Examples of touchstones
The work interweaves South and Southeast Asian mythologies and histories with Western cultural touchstones—from canonical artists to sacred texts—often with a deliberate sense of unease.
—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
23 June 2026
Beyond those obvious touchstones, though, there are surprising influences for this latest game.
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
Some shows were educational, some were pure, glorious junk food for the mind, and others became cultural touchstones.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
22 June 2026
As Freedom Needs a Soundtrack recounts, those early touchstones shaped Potts’ understanding of what music could do in the world, and also its limits.
—
Michele Amabile Angermiller,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2026
Red Lobster’s dining rooms have doubled as communal ground, touchstones of belonging for generations of Black families.
—
Rita Omokha,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Both cases became touchstones for how ethics consultants and care teams navigate the life‑and‑death decisions that have become routine in an era of life‑sustaining technology.
—
Jennifer McCurdy,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
Comparisons work in the film’s favor, positioning Backrooms alongside Iron Lung and cult horror touchstones rather than disposable genre fare.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
31 May 2026
Or are Mario Bros memorabilia and Pokémon cards the new cultural touchstones?
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 May 2026
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
23 June 2026
Beyond those obvious touchstones, though, there are surprising influences for this latest game.
—
George Yang,
Space.com,
22 June 2026
Some shows were educational, some were pure, glorious junk food for the mind, and others became cultural touchstones.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
22 June 2026
As Freedom Needs a Soundtrack recounts, those early touchstones shaped Potts’ understanding of what music could do in the world, and also its limits.
—
Michele Amabile Angermiller,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2026
Red Lobster’s dining rooms have doubled as communal ground, touchstones of belonging for generations of Black families.
—
Rita Omokha,
Vanity Fair,
12 June 2026
Both cases became touchstones for how ethics consultants and care teams navigate the life‑and‑death decisions that have become routine in an era of life‑sustaining technology.
—
Jennifer McCurdy,
The Conversation,
2 June 2026
Comparisons work in the film’s favor, positioning Backrooms alongside Iron Lung and cult horror touchstones rather than disposable genre fare.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
31 May 2026
Or are Mario Bros memorabilia and Pokémon cards the new cultural touchstones?
—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for touchstones
Noun
-
The United Kingdom is on course for its sixth prime minister in some seven years, as one political leader after another proves no match for a stubbornly weak economy, which has weighed on incomes and living standards, wearing down the electorate.
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The sheriff said the agency remains committed to transparency, professionalism and ethical standards.
Noun
-
Personalized messaging, clear criteria and occasional human touchpoints can go a long way.
-
Chrysler and Dodge didn’t meet the study’s award criteria.
Noun
-
Lending those brands to third parties comes with risks, which is why such complex processes and high benchmarks are required to maintain brand integrity.
-
Administrators plan to fulfill these benchmarks by organizing a collaborative network that shares resources among public university systems, private technology corporations, and the existing network of national laboratories.
Cite this Entry
“Touchstones.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/touchstones. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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